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TOUCHSTONE, 



THE FRENCH SCHOLAR 



<&$itt Bfficultie* 



OF THAT PREVAILING LANGUAGE: 



COMPRISING NEAR 400 QUESTIONS, WITH THEIR CORRES- 
PONDING SOLUTIONS; IN WHICH ARE GIVEN RULES ON 
THE UNITING OF FINAL CONSONANTS TO SUCCEEDING 
VOWELS, HITHERTO UNEXPLAINED TO ENGLISHMEN" ; AND 
THE ARCANA OF THE FRENCH LANGUAGE IN GENERAL 
CLEARLY DEVELOPED. 



BY JOHN LAYC0tK 



LEEDS: 




PRINTED FOR THE AUTHOR, BY EDWARD BAINE.Sj 

AND SOLD BY THOMAS BOOSEY & SONS, LONDON; JOHN 

HEATON, LEEDS; AND OTHER BOOKSELLERS. 



1825. 



40°! 






&ttterrijr at £tatt0ttm , H«1L 



PREFACE, 



It is much to be regretted, that while the 
British press annually teems with Grammars com- 
posed for the use of persons commencing the study 
of the French language, no work should: hitherto 
have appeared adapted expressly for such as have 
already attained to a tolerable proficiency in it, by 
means of which they might extend, or rather perfect, 
their knowledge of this fashionable language. To 
this class of learners, it has been thought that an 
epitome of the difficulties, or what are termed the 
finesses of the language, would prove acceptable, by 
enabling them to arrive at the more abstruse and 
delicate parts of it, without being obliged, in order 
to unfold these, to wade through the mass of ele- 
mentary matter which every Grammar necessarily 
contains, and which the more advanced student 
generally finds prolix, though the judicious arrange- 
ment of it in some Grammars may render it less 
tedious than in others. 

The prosodical part of the French Grammars 
hitherto published, not comprehending the super- 
venient pronunciation of words, or that variation 
proceeding from their different combinations in 
a sentence, one of the principal objects of the fol- 
lowing pages, which have been compiled from the 
latest French authors (for every similar work must 



iv PREFACE. 

be a compilation) will be to treat of this particular, 
and to lay down some positive and satisfactory rules 
for suppressing, or pronouncing final consonants be- 
fore words beginning with a consonant, or for the 
uniting of them to consecutive vowels. 

However little this essential part of the French 
orthoepy has as yet been attended to, it is ne- 
vertheless certain that the French language owes 
much of its perspicuity, as well as the whole of its 
harmony, to the last-mentioned circumstance alone — 
much of its perspicuity, because, as several letters 
are frequently dropped in pronunciation at the end 
of words, it would, but for this union, in many 
cases be difficult to distinguish, in conversation, the 
plural form of a verb, noun, or adjective, from that 
of the singular ; or to point Out with sufficient pre- 
cision the grammatical-connexion existing between 
two words, or the manner in which one word quali- 
fies or affects another. 

That the union of final consonants, in cases 
where the laws of the French pronunciation autho- 
rize it, tends to harmonize the language, is evident 
from the very nature of the consonants themselves, 
which can never be fully or clearly articulated with- 
out the aid of a vowel ; but must, if pronounced 
alone, produce an imperfect as well as harsh 
and discordant sound, which, of all things, should 
be most carefully avoided; for, as M. Tabbe' 
d^LivET justly observes : " Une cacophonie a 
toujours ete jugee chez les fran^ois pire qu'une 
irregularite. 1 * 

The beauties resulting from an accurate arti- 
culation of French words, especially as regards the 
connecting of final consonants with succeeding 



PBEFACE. V 

vowels, cannot be better described than in the words 
of a modern French writer : — 

" La langue franeoise, quand elle est bien 
parlee, est, sans contredit, la plus belle et la plug 
harmonieuse des langues modernes. Seche, aride, 
inflexible, dans la bouche de celui qui ne connoit 
ni son genie, ni son caractere, ni les lois de sa pro- 
nonciation ; elle devient majestueuse et brillante, 
flexible et douce, nombreuse et riche en inflexions 
melodieuses, quand elle est enoncee avec les con- 
ditions qu'elle prescrit. Nulle langue ne s'adapte . 
plus qu'elle aux divers sentimens du cceur humain, 
et ne les peint avec plus d'energie ; autant elle est 
pleine de grace, et d'une aimable liberte dans la 
conversation des gens polis, autant elle s'eleve et 
s'ennoblit dans les sujets qui demandent de la pompe 
et de la dignite. Elle suffit a tous les genres : a 
celui qui proclame les droits de Tinnocence, comme 
a celui qui traite des grands interets des peuples. 
Voyez comme, sous le pinceau de Racine, elle de- 
vient Tinterprete sublime des sentimens les plus deli- 
cats du cceur humain ; comme, sous celui de Buffon, 
elle decrit magnifiquement les merveilles de la na- 
ture : voyez avec quelle majeste noble et imposante 
elle s'eleve jusqu'au trone de la divinite, dans la 
bouche de Bossuet, et avec quelle flexibilite elle se 
plie aux charmes de la plus aimable naivete, sous 
la plume de la Fontaine, et de Madame Sevigne. ,> ' 

In order to render the perusal of the subse- 
quent rules less irksome to the student, and the 
more strongly to impress them on his memory, the 
whole has been disposed in the form of questions ; 
to each of which a corresponding solution will be 
found in another part of the work. A similar 



vi PREFACE. 

arrangement has been made of the examples of bad 
Frencn, which are superadded with a view to cor- 
rect some very common mistakes, and to point out 
those errors which Englishmen are most apt to be 
led into by the peculiar genius of their own Lan- 
guage. 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



QUESTION 1. 

WHAT difference is there between : fapprendrai le 
frangois en six mois, and fapprendrai le frangois dans 
six mois ? 



The letter x, in French, is pronounced as k, z, s, 
cs, or gz. Which of these sounds has it in the fol- 
lowing words ? 

Alexandre, Alexander. Xavier, Xavier. 

Mexique, Mexico. Xenophon, Xenophon. 

Xantippe, Xantippe. Xerxes, Xerxes. 

Ximenes, Ximenez. (a town in Spain) 

3. 

Uorgue de notre eglise The organ of our church 

est excellent ; mais les is an excellent one ; 

orgues de I' eglise ca- but that of the cathe- 

thedrale sont bien rneil- dral church is much 

leures. better. 

Why is the first adjective in the preceding sentence 
put in the masculine, and the last in the feminine 
gender, both having reference to the noun orgue or 
orgues ? 



What is the difference between : un honnele homme, 
and un homme honnete ? 



% A TOUCHSTONE. 

5. 

How do you pronounce the words : recors, a bailiff's 
man ; retors, crafty ; remords, remorse ; and mors, 
a horse-bit ; before a word beginning with a vowel or 
h mute, and before a consonant ? 



What is the infinitive mood of the participle 
tissu, woven? 



How is ch sounded in the following words ? 



Achelous, Achelous. 
archange, archangel. 
archetype, archetype. 
archonte, archon. 
catechumene, catechumen. 
Chalcedoine, Chalcedony. 
Chaldeen, Chaldean. 
chersonese peninsula. 
chiragre, gout in the hand. 
chirographaire, a creditor 
in virtue of a bond. 



chiromancie, palmistry. 

chorographie, chorogra- 
phy. 

Machiavel, Mach.-avel. 

Melchior, Melchior. 

Melchisedec, Melchizedek. 

Michel- Ange, Michael An- 
gelo. 

Nabuchodonosor, Nebu- 
chadnezzar. 

orchestre, orchestra. 



What difference is there between : un gentilhomme, 
and un homme gentil ? 



How is the final t of the following words pro- 
nounced, before another word beginning with a con- 
sonant, and before a vowel or h mute : assaut, an 
assault ; defiant, a defect ; haut, high : hermit, a herald ; 
levraut, a leveret ; vaut, it is worth ; prevaut, he 
prevails ; saut, a leap ? 

10. 

Why is the adjective feu put in the feminine 
gender in the two first of the following examples, 
and not in the two last ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 3 

Lafeue reine. The late or deceased queen. 

Ma Jeue mere. My late mother. 

Feu la reine. The late or deceased queen. 

Feu ma mere. My late mother. 

11. 

Why is the acute accent placed on the first e of 
the words : deposseder, to dispossess; denicher, to dis- 
lodge ; deposer, to depose ; denoncer, to denounce ; 
and not on the same vowel in demeurer, to stay ; 
and devancer, to go before ? 



12. 

What is the difference between : un galant homme, 
and un homme galant ? 

13. 

How is the gs in legs, a legacy ; and the g in fau- 
bourg, a suburb ; and bourg, a country town, to be 
pi-onounced ? 

14. 

Why do we say : 

Un fruit mur, ripe fruit ; and, une mure deliberation, 

a mature deliberation. 
Un homme maigre, a lean man ; and, une maigre chere, 

poor fare. 
Une femme vive, a lively woman ; and, une vive dou- 

leur, an acute pain : 

placing the adjective after the noun in the first in- 
stance, and before it in the last ? 



15. 

How do you write the first person singular of the 
present indicative of verbs ending in ayer, oyer, and 
uyer ; as, payer, to pay ; employer, to employ ; es- 
suyer, to experience, &c. ; and all the other persons in 
which the y has not the value of two i's ? 
a2 



4 A TOUCHSTONE. 

16. 

How do you pronounce the final n of words end- 
ing in ion, before a word beginning with a vowel or 
h mute? 



17. 

What pronunciation is given to the final I of the 
following words ? 



Ail, garlick. 
Bresil, Brasil. 
beril, beryl. 
babil, prattle. 
beiail, cattle. 
coulil, ticking. 
chenil, dog-kennel. 
Chaulnes, (a proper name.) 
cil, eye-lash. 
civil, civil. 
deuil, mourning. 
detail, detail. 
exil, exile. 
Jil, thread. 
fusil, a gun. 
fenouil, fennel. 
gresil, small hail. 
mail, mall. 
Nil, Nile. 
nombril, navel. 



outil, tool. 
ceil, eye. 
orgueil, pride. 
persil, parsley. 
pareil, such. 
peril, peril. 
profil, profile. 
pueril, childish. 
pouls, pulse. 
reveil, awaking. 
sammeil, sleep. 
subtil, subtile. 
soul, fuddled. 
soleil, sun. 
sourcil, eye-brow. 
travail, work. 
Vesoul, a town. 
vil, vile. 
viril, virile. 
vermeil, bright red. 



18. 

Why is the verb savoir attended only by one 
negative in the following examples ? 

Je ne saurois faire ce que I cannot do what you tell 

vous me dites. me. 

II ne sauroit marcher He cannot walk so far. 
jusque Id. 

19. 
What difference is there between un homme pauvre, 
and un pauvre homme ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



20. 



How are the two following sentences to be trans- 
lated into English ? 

Les planchers de cet appartement sont plqfonnes ; 
mais Us sont trop has. 

Les planchers de ce logis ne sont que de pldtre. 

21. 

What is the difference between : il nefait que sor- 
iir, and il ne fait que de sortir ? 

22. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of the fol- 
lowing words, before another word beginning with a 
vowel or h mute ? 

Accompagnement , accom- couvent, convent. 

paniment. argent, money. 

adolescent, youth. argument, argument. 

agrement, consent ; plea- arpent, acre. 

sure. avent, advent. 

aliment, aliment. campement, encampment. 

continent, continent. dent, tooth. 



23. 

II m'a dit quelque chose He has told me something 

qui est tfres-plaisant. very humorous. 

Un bon ami est une chose It is a precious thing to 

precieuse. have a good friend. 

Why is the adjective in the last of these examples 
put in the feminine., and in the first in the masculine 
gender ? 

24. 
Of what gender are the following nouns ? 

Incendie, conflagration. ongle, nail. 

cimetiere, churchyard. legumes, vegetables. 

episode, episode. horloge, clock. 

A 3 



6 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



pantomime, pantomime. 
atmosphere, atmosphere. 
parafe, a flourish to one's 

signature. 
interligne, a space between 

two lines. 
Colisee, Colisaeum. 
mausolee, mausoleum. 



interligne, distance used 

by printers. 
genie, genius. 
perigee, perigee. 
pigmee, dwarf. 
globule, globule. 
dialecte, dialect. 
acte, act. 



25. 

t What difference is there between : tin vilain homme, 
and un homme vilain ? 



Dieu appela Saint Paul a 

I'Apostolat. 
II appelle mauvais, ce que 

vous appelez bon. 



God called St. Paul to 

the Apostleship. 
What you call good, he 

calls bad. 



Why is the I of the verb appeler doubled in one 
instance, and not in the two others ? 



27. 
How is gn pronounced in the following words i 



Gnome, gnoma. 
Agnus, Agnus Dei. 
gnostiques, heretics. 
incognito, incognito. 
igne, fiery. 



Progne, Progne. 
magnetisme, magnetism. 
inexpugnable, impregnable. 
stagna?it, stagnant. 
regnicole, denizen. 



28. 

Why do we always say : le haut style, and le style 
sublime, placing the adjective before the substan- 
tive in the first instance, and after it in the last ? 



29. 

What difference is there between 
de moi, and voila mon portrait ? 



voila tin portrait 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



30. 



II y a des chutes d'eau en 
Italie, et dans le Canada. 
II sen trouve meme en 
Suede, quoiqu'en tres- 
petit nombre. Les cas- 
cades d' Italie et de 
Suede, ne sont que de 
foibles echantillons de 
celles daCanada. Celles- 
ci sont vraiment magni- 
Jiques. Je ne crois pas 
que le Saut de Niagara 
dans le Haut- Canada, 
ait son pareil dans tout 
Vunivers. 



•There are waterfalls in 
Italy, in Canada, and in 
Sweden ; though they 
are less numerous in the 
latter country, than in 
the two former. The 
cascades of Italy and 
Sweden, are but poor 
specimens of those in 
Canada. I do not be- 
lieve that there is *a 
cascade in the whole 
world to be compared 
to the Falls of Niagara 
in Upper-Canada. 



Why do we say : dans le Canada, and du Canada, 
in the above example ; and not dans Y Italie, dans la 
Suede ; nor de Y Italie, de la Suede ? 



31. 



Quelques amis que vous 
ayez, je ne les crains 
point. 

Quel que belles que soient 
ses actions. 



Whatever friends you 
have, I do not fear 
them. 

However fine his actions 
may be. 



Why is quelque in the plural in the first of these 
examples, and not in the second ? 



32. 
How do you pronounce the following 



words ? 



Aoriste, aorist. 
aimable, lovely. 
affres, great fright. 
Abruzze, (province of Ita- 

iy). 

// a, he has. 
bague, ring. 



Caennois, inhabitant of 

Caen. 
carquois, quiver. 
cave, cave. 

Dunkerque, Dunkirk. 
ennui, weariness. 
emmener, to carry away. 



» A TOUCHSTONE. 

fade, insipid. Mallois, Maltese. 

Gallois, Welsh.. Nantois, inhabitant of 
Gaulois, Gaul. Nantes. 

geole, jail, gaol. Rouennois, inhabitant of 
geolier, jailer, gaoler. Rouen. 

Hibernois, Hibernian. Rome, Rome. 

Hongrois, Hungarian. Sin, Sin. 

homtnage, homage. Saone, (a river in France). 

Japonois, Japanese. volage, fickle. 



33. 

What difference is there between : tin brave homme, 
and un homme brave ? 



34. 

Le peu d' exactitude quefai The little exactness I have 
trouve dans cet ouvrage. found in this work. 

Le peu de nonnes que j'ai The few nuns I have 
vues. seen. 

Why is the participle in the first example put in 
the masculine singular ; and in the feminine plural 
in the second ? 



35. 

How do you pronounce : Jesus, Jesus ; Christ, 
Christ ; Jesus-Christ, Jesus Christ ; and Antechrist, 
Antechrist ? 



36. 

What is the difference between : il se loue soi-meme, 
and il se loue lui-mcme f 



37. 

H y a quelque chose de There is something mys- 

mysterieux dans celte terious in this business. 
affaire. 

II n'y a rien de nouveau There is nothing new un- 

sous le soleil. der the sun. 



A TOUCHSTONE. \) 

Why are the adjectives mysterieux and nouveau pre- 
ceded by the preposition de ; and why is mysterieux 
put in the masculine gender ? 

38. 
How is the plural of the following words formed ? 

Hotel-Dieu, hospital. chasse-mouche, fly-flapper. 

Fete-Dieu, Corpus-Chris- pie-grieche, termagant. 

ti day. franc-alleu, freehold. 

garde -marine, midship- chef -lieu, chief manor- 
man, house. 

Bain - Marie, Balneum casse-noisette, nutcracker. 

Mariae. * vasistas, postern. 

* Derived from the German : was ist das ? 



39. 
What difference is there between : ilfaut que celui 
qui parle se mette a. la portee de ceux qui Vecoutent, and 
ilfaut que celui qui parle se mette a portee de ceux qui 
Vecoutent ? 

40. 
Des ckeveux chatains. Nut-brown hair. 

Des cheveux chatain clair. Auburn hair. 

Why is the adjective chatain put in the plural in the 
first example ; and in the singular in the second ? 

41. 

How do you pronounce the words : pont, a bridge; 
dont, whose, of which ; mont, a mount ; and the ter- 
mination ont in many of the tenses of verbs ; before a 
word beginning with a vowel or h mute ? 

42. 

Why is the pronoun ce, and not il or elle used in 
the following phrases ? 

Son Spouse est Men aima- His wife is very amiable ; 
hie ; c'est un tresor. she is a treasure. 



10 A TOUCHSTONE. 

Boire, manger, dormir, The lot of a brute is to 

c'est le partage de eat, drink, and sleep. 
la brute. 

Lisez Homere et Virgile, Read Homer and Virgil, 

ce sont deux des plus they are two of the 

grands poetes de Van- greatest poets of ancient 

tiquite. times. 

43. 

How are the words secours, succour ; recours, re- 
course ; and rebours, wrong side ; pronounced before 
a word beginning with a consonant, and before a 
vowel, or h mute ? 

44. 

What difference is there between : prenez garde de 
tomber, and prenez garde a tomber ? 



45. 

All the months of the year are of the masculine 
gender in French, and are used without article. But 
there is a certain particle which, on being prefixed to 
the names of these months, obliges them to take a 
feminine article ? What particle is it ? 

46. 

How do you translate into French : Hungary water, 
Dutch cheese , fine Dutch ware, Holland cloth, Hungarian 
wine, Gulick, or Isingham Holland, Hungarian lace, 
I come from Holland ? 

47. 
What difference of meaning is there between : fau- 
rois Jait votre affaire, si vous men aviez parle ; and 
j'eussefait voire affaire, si vous men eussiez parle ? 



How are the words broc, a jug ; croc, a hook ; and 
riz, rice ; pronounced before a word beginning with a 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



11 



consonant, before a vowel or h mute, and at the end 
of a sentence ? 



49. 



Caton fut envoye par le 

peuple Romain dans Vile 

de Cypre. 
Les Turcs prirenl Vile de 

Chypre surles Venitiens, 

en 1570. 



Cato was sent by the Ro- 
man people into the 
island of Cyprus. 

The Turks took the island 
of Cyprus from the 
Venetians, in 1570. 



Why is the word Cyprus spelled in two different 
ways in the above examples ? 



50. 

How are the following words pronounced 



Architecte, architect. 
agnat, father's male issue 

in another line. 
agnation, agnation. 
asthme, asthma. 
asthmatique, asthmatic. 
Agamemnon, Agamemnon. 
baguenauder, to trifle. 
casse, cassia, 
casser, to break. 
cognat, kinsman. 
cognation, cognation. 
chantent, (they) sing. 
decorum, decorum. 
diagnostique, diagnostic. 
encoignure, corner. 



Empedocle, Empedocles. 
factotum, factotum. 
factum, case (in a plea). 
fosse, ditch. 
fouet, whip. 

gageure, wager. [ble. 

inexpugnable, impregna- 
junte, junto. 

magnetisme, magnetism. 

opium, opium. 

passer, to pass. 

pallium, pall. 

rapt, rape. 

rassasier, to satisfy. 

schisme, schism. 

Te Deum, Te Deum. 



51. 

What difference is there between un homme cruel, 
and un cruel homme ; unefemme cruelle, and unc cruelle 
femme ? 



52. 
How do you pronounce the last syllable of the 



12 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



words agonisant, a dying man ; aimant, a loadstone ; 
aspirant, a candidate ; assaillant, an assailant ; and 
battant, a bell-clapper ; before a word beginning with 
a consonant, and before a vowel, or h mute ? 

53. 

How must the word qualre be pronounced in : 
entre quatre yeux, signifying tete-a-tete, or cheek by 
jole ? 



54. 
The word gentilhomme makes in the plural gentils- 
hommes. How are these two words pronounced ? 



55. 



Why are the verbs in Roman characters in the fol- 
lowing sentences, put in the imperfect, and not in 
the preterit tense ? 



(a) Le docteur Sangrado 
avoit I'exterieur grave ; 
il pesoit ses discours, et 
donnoit de la noblesse a 
ses expressions. 

Palmire et Persepolis 
etoient de grandes et de 
belles villes. 

(b) Je lisois quand vous 
ecrivites, (ou quand vous 
ecriviez ; ou quand vous 
avez ecrit). 

(c) Quand je passois par 
cette maison, je pensois 
toujours a vous. 

(d) J' aurois Jini hier, s'il 
m'avoit aide. 

(e) S'il avoit beaucoup 
d'argent, il n'en donnoit 
guere aux pauvres. 



Doctor Sangrado had a 
very solemn appear- 
ance ; he weighed his 
discourse, and gave an 
emphasis to his ex- 
pressions. 

Palmyra and Persepolis 
were very large and 
fine cities. 

I was reading when you 
wrote, or were writing. 



I always thought of you 

when I passed by that 

house. 
I should have finished 

yesterday, if he had 

helped me. 
If he had plenty of money, 

he gave little of it to 

the poor. 



A TOUCHSTONE. 
56. 



13 



What difference is there between : manquer de faire 
une chose, and manquer a faire une chose ? 

57. 
How do you express in French : take it and give it 
to your brother. Lead him out of the stable and walk 
him ? (meaning a horse) 

58. 

Personal pronouns precede the verb in affirmative 
phrases : as, je parle, I speak ; je romps, I break ; 
je perds, I lose, &c. When a question is asked, they 
come after the verb. — How must I express the follow- 
ing interrogations in French : do I speak ? do I break? 
do I lie ? do I feel ? do I sleep ? do I run ? do I laugh ? 



59. 

How is the last syllable of the following words 
pronounced ? 



Adonis, Adonis. 
Anubis, Anubis. 
Apis, Apis. 
Amos, Amos. 
Anvers, Antwerp. 
aloes, aloes. 
Argus, Argus. 
Agnus, Agnus Dei. 
Angelus, Angelus. 
ambesas, ambs-ace. 
anus, anus. 
as, ace. 
atlas, atlas. 
Adonias, Adonias. 
Agesilas, Agesilaus. 
Arras (a town). 
Argos, Argos. 
Atropos, Atropos. 
bis, encore. 
bris, a breaking open. 



Briseis, Briseis. 
Busiris, Busiris. 
blocus, blockade. 
Bacchus, Bacchus, 
bibus, of no value. 
Brutus, Brutus. 
bolus, pill. 
Cypris, Cytheris. 
calus, callus. 
chorus, chorus, 
Cresus, Croesus. 
Calchas, Calchas. 
colera - morbus, cholera- 

morbus. 
committimus, committi- 

mus. 
Ceres, Ceres. 
cens, census. 
devis, plan for building. 
dervis, dervise. 



14 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



Delos, Delos. 
Daphnis, Daphnis. 
Epaminondas, Epaminon- 

das. 
Eurotas, Eurotas. 
Ezekias, Ezekias. 
Esdras, Esdras. 
fetus or foetus, fetus. 
faire fores, to make a 

figure. 
Fabius, Fabius. 
gratis, gratis. 
garus, garus. 
hiatus, hiatus. 
helas! alas! 
Humerus, Humerus. 
Isis, Isis. 
Itys, Itys. 
Iris, Iris. 
jadis, of old. 
Jacobus, Jacobus (a coin). 
Janus, Janus. 
Jonas, Jonas. 
Josias, Josias. 
Lachesis, Lachesis. 
Lais, Lais. 
las, alas! 

Lapis, Lapis, Lapideus. 
lapis, lapis-lazuli. 
laps, lapse. 
la Lys, (a river). 
Lemnos, Lemnos. 
Lesbos, Lesbos. 
Memphis, Memphis. 
Momus, Momus. 
Marsyas, Marsyas. 
Menelas, Menelaus. 
Midas, Midas. 
Mars, Mars. 
mats, maize. 
Minos, Minos. 
Nemesis, Nemesit. 
ours, bear. 
Osiris, Osiris. 



obtus, obtuse. 

obus, howitzer. 

Ops, Ops. 

oremus, collect. 

palus, marsh. 

prospectus, prospectus. 

Picumnus, Picumnus. 

Plutus, Plutus. 

Pallas, Pallas. 

Pelops, Pelops. 

sou Parisis, Parisian pen- 

pis, dug. 
Phebus, Phoebus. 
Picus, Picus. 
Paphos, Paphos. 
pathos, energy. 
Paros, Paros. 
picpus (pique-puce), Fran- 
ciscan friar. 
Rubens, Rubens. 
rebus, rebus. 
radius, radius. 
Romulus, Romulus. 
rasibus, close. 
relaps, relapse. 
rhinoceros, rhinoceros. 
Rheims, (a town). 
en sus, over and above. 
Sethos, Sethos. 
Scyros, Scyros. 
Samos, Samos. 
sinus, sine. 
Senlis, (a town). 
Sens, (a town). 
Themis, Themis. 
Thetis, Thetis. 
Tunis, Tunis. 
Titus, Titus. 
les us, the customs. 
Venus, Venus. 
virus, virulence. 
vis, screw. 
Zeuxis, Zeuxis. 



A TOUCHSTONE. 15 

60. 
Why is the pronoun it rendered by il, and not by 
ce, in the following examples ? 

Quelle keure croyez-vous What o'clock do you think 

qu'il soit ? it is ? 

• II est keure de diner. It is dinner time. 

II est tres-tard. It is very late. 

61. 

What sound do you give to the letter x in the 
following words : borax, borax ; larynx, larynx ; 
sphinx, sphinx ; syrinx, syrinx ; prefix, prefixed ; 
Ajax, Ajax ; Pollux, Pollux ; deuxieme, second ; Dom 
Quixotte, Don Quixote ? 



What difference is there between : un furieux ani- 
mal, and un animal furieux ? 

63. 

There are ten monosyllables, the last letter of which 
is retrenched before a word beginning with a vowel ; 
and one monosyllable which is never curtailed, but 
before the pronouns il and ils. Which are these eleven 
monosyllables ? 

64. 

How must I spell the verbs ending in ger ; as, 
alleger, to alleviate, &c, in those tenses in which the 
g is followed by an a, or an o ? 

65. 

How is qu sounded in the following words ? 

Aquatique, marshy. equidistant, equidistant. 

equestre, equestrian. iquilaleral, equilateral. 

equateur, equator. liquation, eliquation. 

equation, equation. liquefaction, liquefaction. 

equiangle, equiangular. a quia, at a stand. 



16 A TOUCHSTONE. 

quinquagenaire, fifty years quadrupede, quadruped. 

old. quirinales, quirinalia. 

in quarto, in quarto. questeur, questor. 

quinquagesime, quinqua- quadruple, fourfold. 

gesima. quadragesime, first Sun- 
quadragenaire, forty years day in Lent. 

old. quaere or quaker, quaker. 

quinquennium, five years' quaterne, quatern. 

study. quesiure, questorship. 

quinquerce, quinquertium. quadrangulaire, quadran- 
quinquereme, quinquere- gular. 

mis. quadrat, printer's quad- 
quadrature, clock-work. rate. 

quadrature, quadrature. quadratrice, quadratrix. 

quintuple, quintuple. ubiquiste, ubiquitarian. 

66. 

Ellesfurent toutes decon- They were quite non- 

certees. plused. 

Elle est toute reveuse. She is quite pensive. 

Elle etoit toute honteuse. She was quite ashamed. 

Why, in the above examples, is the adverb tout 
made to agree in gender and number with the ad- 
jective that follows it, the adverb being an indeclina- 
ble part of speech ? 

67. 

In the conjugation of the verb Jeter, to throw, the 
t is doubled in some of the persons ; in others it 
remains single. What rule is to be observed in this 
respect ? 



What difference is there between : unefemme grosse, 
and une grosse femme ? 



Why do we retrench the last vowel of the preposi- 
tion entre, in entr'acte, an interlude ; entr'ouvrir, to 
open in part, &c. ; and not in entre aulres, entre eux, 
entre elles, &c. ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



17 



70. 



How do you form the plural of the following words ? 

garde-fen, fender. 

garde-manger, larder. 

garde - meuble, lumber- 
room. 

garde-robe, wardrobe. 

hors-d'osuvre, by-dish. 

laissez-passer, permit. 

ou'i-dire, hearsay. 

passe-droit, indulgence. 

prele-nom, one who lends 
his name. 

pont-neuf, ballad. 

passe-partout, master-key. 

passe-parole, pass-word. 

parte - aiguille, needle- 
bearer. 

rabat-joie, sad balk. 

rez - de - chaussee, ground- 
floor. 

va-tout, sweepstakes. 



Apres-midi, afternoon. 

appui-main, maulstick. 

abat-jour, sky-light. 

abal-vent, shed. 

boute-feu, incendiary. 

boule-hors, boom. 

boute-selle, signal to 
mount. 

boute - tout - cuire, spend- 
thrift. 

blanc-bec, novice. 

chaasse-pied, shoeing- 
horn. 

creve-cceur, heart-break- 
ing. 

coupe - gorge, cut-throat 
place. 

entresol, room between 
two floors. 

essuie-main, towel. 



71. 

What difference is there between : je dinerai au- 
jourd'kui en ville, and je dinerai aujourd'hui dans la 
ville ? 



72. 



C'est un pur delice. 
It en fait ses plus cheres 
delices. 



It is a real pleasure. 
He takes the greatest de- 
light in it. 



Why is one of the above adjectives in the mascu- 
line, and the other in the feminine gender ? 



73. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of the fol- 
lowing words, before another word beginning with, a 
consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 



18 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



Ether, ether. 
etranger, foreigner. 
leger, light. 
menager, sparing. 
mensonger, false. 
messager, messenger. 
oreiller, pillow. 



passager, passenger. 
pecker, peach-tree. 
potager, kitchen-garden. 
rocker, rock. 
souper, supper. 
verger, orchard. 
viager, annuity. 



74. 



How do you express in French : a pair of bellotvs, 
and a pair of breeches or small-clothes ? 

75. 

Why, in the following sentence : ily eut cent homines 
lues, et deux cents de blesses, there were a hundred men 
killed, and two hundred wounded, is the preposition 
de joined to the last participle, and not to the first ? 



76. 

How do you pronounce the following words : bloc, 
a block ; un bloc de marbre, a block of marble ; accroc, 
a rent ; choc, a shock ; escroc, a sharper ; froc, a 
monk's habit ; roc, a rock ; troc, an exchange ; soc, 
a ploughshare ; coq, a cock ; and estoc, a long rapier ? 



77. 

Why is the word tout, in the following examples, 
not made to agree in gender and number with the 
adjective that follows it ? 

lis etoient autrefois tout 

autres. 
Ces gens sont tout pleins 

de ca>nr. 
Vos domestiques sont tout 

aussi paresseux que les 

miens. 



They were formerly quite 

different. 
These people are quite 

full of courage. 
Your servants are full as 

lazy as mine. 



78. 

What difference is there between : une nouvelle cer- 
iaine, and une certaine nouvelle ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



19 



79. 

How are the following expressions to be turned 
into French? 



Give (thou) some. 

I will send them to you 

there. 
Get thee gone, (s'en aller) 
Take (thou) us thither. 
Repair (thou) thither, (se 

transporter) 
He would have sent us 

none there. 
Send (you) us thither. 



Go (thou) thither. 
Consider (thou) in what 

situation I am. 
Take (thou) me thither. 
Conduct (you) me thither. 
He will send you some 

there. 
Do not (thou) give him 

any. 
Seek (thou) a book. 



80. 

Any part of speech may be used substantively : as, 
un quand, a when ; un comment, a how ; un que, a 
that, &c. How is the plural of these words formed 
in this case ; and what is the plural of un a, an a ; un b, 
a b ; un re, un mi, (in music) ; un neuf, a nine ; un 
quatre, a four, &c. 



81. 



Madame Recamier est la 

plus belle dame que je 

connoisse. 
Madame Recamier est la 

plus belle des dames que 

je connois. 



Madame Recamier is the 
finest woman I know. 

Madame Recamier is the 
finest of the women I 
know. 



Why is the verb connoitre put in the subjunctive in 
e first of the above examples, and not in the second ? 



the first 



82. 



Elles sont toutes soulagees, may signify : they are 
mu'h relieved, as well as : they are all relieved. 
What turn must I give to the phrase to obviate this 
ambiguity ? 

83. 
How do you pronounce these words : Claude, 



20 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



Claudius ; second, second ; vermicelle, vermicelli ; vio- 
loncelle, violoncello? 

84. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of the fol- 
lowing nouns, before a word beginning with a conso- 
nant, and before a vowel or /* mute? 



Brillant, lustre; precious 
stone. 

calmant, calming remedy. 

celebrant, officiating priest 
at mass. 

chant, canto; singing. 

commandant, commander. 

commengant, beginner. 

commercant, trader. 

commettant, employer. 

concertant, one who plays 
or sings at a concert. 

conquerant, conquerer. 

consultant, counsellor. 

correspondent, correspon- 
dent. 

Couchant, West. 

croissant, crescent. 

diamant, diamond. 

desservant, curate. 

ettgant, fop. 

elephant, elephant. 

enfant, child. 
fabriquant, manufacturer. 

gant, glove. 

garant, guarantee. 

ignorant, ignorant person. 

instant, instant. 

intempe'rant, disorderly man. 

intriguant, intriguer. 

inlendant, steward. 



Levant, East. 
lieutenant, lieutenant. 
luisant, gloss. 
manant, clown. 
mechant, wicked man, 
medisant, slanderer. 
montant, amount. 
mordant, pigment. 
mourant, dying man, 
octant, octant. 
opinant, voter. 
opposanl, opponent, 
passant, traveller, 
payant, payer. 
pedatit, pedant. 
penchant, inclination. 
pendant, pendant. 
plaignant, plaintiff. 
plaisant, wag. 
plant, sprig. 
pretendant, candidate. 
postulant, candidate. 
prolestant, protestant. 
restant, remainder. 
revenant, ghost. 
suffisant, conceited person. 
surveillant, overseer. 
trailant, farmer of the 

revenues. 
tranchant, the edge of an 

instrument. 



Quelques auteurs savans 
que vous consu/tiez. 



85. 



Whatever learned authors 
you consult. 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



21 



Quel que puissans amis que 
vous ayez,je ne lescrains 
point. 



Though you have ever so 
powerful friends, I do 
not fear them. 



Why is the first quelque in the above examples in 
the plural, and the other in the singular number ? 



86. 

What difference is there between 
and un homme grand ? 

87. 



un grand homme, 



How is gui pronounced in the following words ? 



Aiguiere, ewer. 
aiguieree, ewerful. 
aiguillade, goad. 
aiguille, needle. 
aiguillee, needleful. 
aiguillette, tag. 
aiguilletier, trimming-ma- 
ker. 



aiguillier, needle-case. 
aiguillon, sting. 
aiguillonner, to spur on. 
aiguiser, to whet. 
aiguisement, sharpening. 
Guillaume, William. 
due de Guise, duke of 
Guise. 



88. 

The word before may be rendered in French by 
devant, avant, and auparavant. Which of these words 
must be employed in translating the following sen- 
tence : he is arrived before us ? 



Why are the verbs in Roman characters in the fol- 
lowing examples, put in the preterit, and not in the 
imperfect tense ? 



Alexandre, avec quarante 
mille hommes, attaqua 
Darius qui en avoit six 
cent mille. II lui livra 
bataille deux fois, le 
defit, et fit sa mere, sa 
femme, et sesjilles prison- 
nieres de guerre. 



Alexander, with forty 
thousand men, attacked 
Darius, who had six 
hundred thousand. He 
gave him battle twice, 
defeated him, and made 
his mother, wife, and 
daughters prisoners. 



22 A TOUCHSTONE. 

J'allai hier mi soir a I'ope- I went last night to the 
ra, o^'entendis chanter opera, where I heard 

Madame Catalani. Madame Catalan! sing. 

90. 

What is the English of: je ne me doutois pas qu'il 
vint, and je vie doutois qu'il viendroit ? 

91. 

What is the masculine plural of. the following 
words : canonial, conjugal, litteral, nasal, nuptial, 
pascal, pastoral, pectoral, special, total, trivial, venal? 

92. 

How do you pronounce the words gens and suspens, 
before a word beginning with a consonant, before a 
vowel or h mute, and when standing alone ? 



De grands evenemens ont Great events have often 
souvent de petites causes. little causes. 

Heureux, si de son temps, pour de bonnes raisons, 
La Macedoine eut eu des yetites-maisotis. 

It would have been fortunate, for good reasons, had 
there been a mad-house in Macedonia in his time. 

Why are the three first adjectives in the above 
examples preceded by de, and the last one by des? 

94. 

What difference is there between : il a sorli, and 
il est sorli : il a demeure d Paris, and il est demeure a 
Paris ? 

95. 

Of what gender are the words foudre, a thunder- 
bolt, and ceuvre, a work. — Leitre, a letter ; prison, a 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



prison; and ordonnance, an ordinance, though femi- 
nine nouns, have sometimes an adjective in the mas- 
culine gender coming after them. In what instances 
does this take place ? 

96. 

How are the following Words pronounced ? 



Amasser, to heap up. 
quej'aimasse, that I might 

love. 
aurore, dawn. 
automne, autumn. 
basse, bass. 
chdsse, shrine. 
classe, class. 
campagne, country. 
croitre, to grow. 
il desosse, he takes out the 

bones. 
il delasse, he refreshes. 
drole, droll. 
ecole, school. 
echasses, stilts. 
endosse, trouble. 
'il evapore, it evaporates. 
quejefasse, that I may do. 
Jlamme, flame. 
grosse, big. 
grasse, fat. 



flobe, globe. 
lumbert, (a proper name). 
Jacques, James. 
lasse, tired. 
lobe, lobe. 
manne, manna. 
Munster, fa town). 
masse, billiard-spoon. 
oignon, onion. 
passe, pass, &c. 
post-scriptum, post- script. 
quanquan, bustle. 
quanquam, quanquam. 
roide, stiff. 
roideur, stiftness. 
roidir, to stiffen. 
redarguer, to reprove. 
tope ! done ! 
tasse, cup. 
tambour, drum. 
voler, to rob ; to fly. 
Young, (a proper name). 



97. 

What difference is there between : un enfant cruel, 
and un cruel enfant ? 

98. 

Madame, eles-vous la mere Are you the mother of 
de cet enfant? — Oui, je this child, Ma'am? — 
la suis. Yes, I am. 



Madame, etes-vous mere 
Oui,je le suis. 



Are you a mother, Ma'am? 
Yes, I am. 



24 A TOUCHSTONE. 

Why does the lady answer in the first of the above 
examples, je la suis ; and in the last, je le stds ? 

99. 
How do you form the plural of proper names ; as 
Alexandre, Moliere, Corneille, &c. 



100. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of the 
words: a?iis, anise-seed; bis, brown; brebis, a sheep ; 
cadis, a kind of serge; commis, a clerk; bandit, a 
robber ; conflit, a conflict ; deficit, a deficit ; rit, a 
rite ; before a word beginning with a consonant, 
and before a vowel or k mute? 



101. 

The feminine adjective grande often loses its final e 
before certain nouns, both in conversation and in 
writing, though those words begin with a consonant. 
Which nouns are they ? 



102. 

How do you pronounce the following words before 
a word beginning with a consonant, and before a 
a vowel or h mute : doigt, finger ; adjoint, associate ; 
appoint, odd money ; embonpoint, plumpness ; joint, 
joint ; point, stitch ; point, not at all ? 



103. 

Je ne sais si votes cornpre- I do not know whether 
nez bien ma pensee. you understand my 

meaning rightly. 

II ne suit pas que le courier He does not know that 
est arrive. the post is arrived. 

Why is the verb savoir used with one negative 
only in the first example, and with two in the last ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 25 

104. 

How do you pronounce the words : paon, a peacock ; 
faon, a fawn; Laon, (a town in France); taon, a 
gadfly; Caen, (a town in France)? 

105. 

H, at the beginning of words, is either aspirate 
or mute in French; that is, it is either pronounced 
with a strong aspiration or breathing, or not heard 
at all. Which are the words in the French lan- 
guage in which k is aspirated? 

106. 

How is the h of the following words pronounced : 
chat-huant, a screech-owl ; enhardir, to embolden ; 
rehausser, to raise ; s'aheurter, to be obstinate ; en- 
harnacker, to harness? 

107. 

Of what gender are the words : exemple, an exam- 
ple ; hymne, a hymn ; and loutre, a beaver ? 

108. 

How is some (expressed or understood), to be ren- 
dered in French, when it precedes an adjective joined 
to a noun in the singular number. For example, 
ought I to say : du bon temps, or de bon temps, fine 
weather ? 

109. 

What sound has the letter x in the following words ? 

Auxerre, i Bruxelles, Brussels. 

Auxonne, £ phenix, phoenix. 

Flexelle, | Styx, Styx, 

Uxell, or Uxelles, Z soixante, sixty. 

St. Maixent, ^ soixantieme. sixtieth. 

Luxeuil, I Xerxes, Xerxes, (the 

Xaintes, g ; second x). 

Aix, j La Xaintonge, a province 

Cadix, Cadiz. of France. 



26 



A TOUCHSTONE, 



110. 



How da you pronounce : dot, a dowry ; mot, a word ; 
and sot, a fool ; before a word beginning with a con- 
sonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

111. 

What difference is there between : Mademoiselle ne 
marche pas droit, and Mademoiselle ne marchepas droite ? 

112. 

Quels que soient vos amis, Whoever your friends are, 
je ne les crains point. I do not fear them. 

II y a quelque soixante It is about sixty years 
ans que cet usage s'est since that custom pre- 
perdu. vailed. 

Why is quelque in the singular, in the last example ; 
and why do we write it in two words, in the first 
example, giving to quels the plural form ? 

113. 

How do you pronounce the word dix, ten, before a 
word beginning with a consonant, before a vowel or h 
mute, and at the end of a sentence ? 

114. 

What is the plural of the following nouns ? 

Ave", or Ave-Maria, Ave- etcoetera, et coetera. 

mary. errata, list of errors. 

aline" a, new paragraph. exeat , leave to go out. 

auto dafe, auto-de-fe. ergo, a therefore. 

aparte, what is spoken factotum, factotum. 

aside. item, item. 

alibi, alibi. in-folio, folio. 

alleluia, allelujah. impromptu, or in-promptu, 
accessit, certificate. impromptu. 

acacia, acacia. in-quarto, quarto. 

duo, duet. in-octavo, octavo. 

duplicata, duplicate. in-douze a duodecimo. 

in-seize, a sixteen. oremus, collect. 

in dix-kuit, an eighteen. opera, opera. 



A TOUCHSTONE. 27 

in-vingt-quatre, a twenty- pater, pater-noster. 

four. quiproquo, mistake. 

libera, libera. quatuor, a four. 

mezzo-termine, medium. trio, trio. 

mezzo-tinto, mezzo-tinto. Te Deum, Te Deum. 

numero, number. zero, cipher. 

115. 

How do you form the comparative and superlative 
degree of the following adjectives : mortel, mortal ; 
immortel, immortal; parfait, perfect; universel, uni- 
versal; eternel, eternal; essentiel, essential; divin, 
divine; immense, immense; supreme, supreme? 

116. 

What difference is there between : unejemme hm- 
nete, and une honnetefemme f 

117. 

How is the termination ier pronounced, in the 
names of trades : as, barbier, a barber ; cordonnier, a 
shoe-maker ifermier, a farmer, &c. ; and in the names 
of animals : as, sanglier, a wild boar ; belier, a ram, 
&c, before another word beginning with a consonant, 
and before a vowel or h mute ? 



118. 

Je n'ignore pas qu'il est I am aware that he is 

venu. come. 

J'ignore qu'il ait fait cela. I do not know that he has 
done it. 

Why is the verb put in the indicative in the first 
sentence, and in the subjunctive in the second ?. 

119. 
How do you pronounce the following word*? 

Absent, absent. annales, annals. 

addition, addition. anarchie, anarchy. 

attique, attic. argutie, cavil. 

atticisme, atticism. amid, amice, 

eg 



28 A TOUCHSTONE. 

anabaptiste, anabaptist. baptismal, baptismal. 

anabaptisme, anabaptism. ennemi, enemy. 

appellation, appellation. obtenir, to obtain. 

baptistere, baptistry. pignoratif, pignorative. 

baccalaureat, degree of tombac, pinchbeck, 
bachelor. 

120. 

What difference is there between : imaginer quelque 
chose, and s' imaginer quelque chose ? 

121. 

How is the termination eil pronounced, in such 
words as reveil, awaking ; par eil, such, &c, before a 
word beginning with a consonant, and before a vowel 
or h mute ? 

122. 

The adjective furieux is sometimes placed before 
the noun, and sometimes after it : as, un furieux poisson, r 
un lion furieux. What difference does this occasion in 
its signification ? 

123. 

// avoit les yeux et la His eyes and mouth were 

bouche ouverte. open. 

L'etang etla riviere etoient The pond and river were 

glaces. frozen. 

Why is the participle in the first example put in the 
feminine gender and singular number, and in the last 
example in the masculine plural? 

124. 

How do you pronounce the following words, before 
another word beginning with a consonant, and before 
a vowel or h mute ? 

Acier, steel. armurier, gunsmith. 

altier, haughty. banquier, banker. 

aventurier, adventurer. bouclier, buckler. 

atelier, workshop. baudrier, shoulder-belt. 



A TOUCHSTONE. 29 

brasier, coal-fire. chevalier, knight. 

coursier, courser. cavalier, gentleman. 

cotirrier, courier. canonnier, gunner. 

125. 

We sometimes meet with the adverb presque, almost, 
having its final e retrenched before a word beginning 
with a vowel. Is this syncope correct ? — and in what 
eases ought it to take place ? 



126. 

How is the word sept, seven, pronounced before a 
word beginning with a consonant ; before a vowel or 
h mute ; and at the end of a sentence ? — and how do 
you pronounce the words septante, seventy ; cep, a 
vine ; and ceps, fetters ? 

127. 

How are the following words pronounced ? 

A'ieul, grandfather. Milhaut, -\ 

catechisme, catechism. Pardalhac, t '. 

j , . „t ,i > (PROPER H AMBS). 

choeur, choir. JSully, ( 

Charon, Charon. Sully, J 

curiosite, curiosity. mode, fashion. 

faience, delft-ware. paten, pagan. 

generosite, generosity. quolibet, quibble. 

jambon, ham. symptdme, symptom. 
millesime, date of a coin, or tillac, deck. 

medal. tranquille, quiet. 
millet, millet. 

128. 

What difference is there between : une sage-femme, 
and unefemme sage ? 

129. 

Personne n'est plus heu- Nobody is happier than 
reux qu'elle. she. 

c3 



SO A TOUCHSTONE. 

Per sonne a-t-\\ jamais sur- Did ever any body surpass 
passe Racine en elegance? Racine in elegance ? 

Cette personne est tres-in- That person is very learn- 
struite. ed. 

Why are the adjective and pronoun in the mascu- 
line gender in the two first examples ; and the adjec- 
tive in the last example, in the feminine gender ? 

130. 

How do you pronounce the final m of nom, a name ; 
parfum, a perfume ; hem ! hem ! item, item ; Ibrahim, 
Ibrahim ; Selim, Selim ; Matusalem, Methuselah ; 
Stockholm, Stockholm ; Adam, Adam ; Absalom, Ab- 
salom ; and the n in Salomon, Solomon ? 

131. 

What difference is there between : j'aime mieux 
I' etude quelejeu, and j'aime plus V etude que lejeu ? 



What is the plural of ml, an eye ; ceil de boeuf, an 
oval window ; and ail, garlick ? 

133. 

How do you pronounce the words : froid, cold ; 
poids, a weight ; and soif, thirst ; before a word be- 
ginning with a consonant, and before a vowel or h 
mute ? 

134. 

II a dix mille livres de He has an income of ten 

revenu, y compris les thousand pounds, in- 

prqfits de sa charge; eluding the emoluments 

■non compris la maison of his office, besides the 

ou il loge. house he lives in. 

II donne tous les ans mille He gives a thousand 
ecusaux pauvres, les au- crowns annually to the 
mones extraordinaires y poor, including (or ex- 
comprises (pu non com- elusive of) special do- 
prises), nations. 



A TOUCHSTONE. 31 

Why is compris declined in the last example, and 
not in. the first? 



135. 

How is the masculine plural of the following ad- 
jectives formed? 

Amical, friendly. frugal, frugal, 

adverbial, adverbial. glacial, frozen. 

austral, southern. ideal, ideal. 

automnal, autumnal. filial, filial. 

boreal, northerly. jovial, jovial. 

colossal, colossean. natal, native. 

fatal, fatal. naval, naval. 

final, final. oral, oral. 



136. 

How do you pronounce the final ien of the follow- 
ing nouns, before a word beginning with a vowel or 
h mute : academicien, an academician ; chien, a dog ; 
bien, property ; chirurgien, a surgeon ; chretien, a 
christian ; entretien, a discourse ; grammairien, a gram- 
marian ; historien, an historian ; lien, a bond ; main- 
tien, carriage ; le mien, mine ; le tien, thine ; musicien, 
a musician ; pa'ien, a pagan ; paroissien, a parishioner ? 



137. 

Why is the pronoun it rendered by ce, and not 
by il, in the following expressions ? 

Cest voire faute. It is, your fault. 

A moins que ce ne soit par' Unless it be among the 
mi les Turcs. Turks. 



138. 

How do you pronounce the final ct of aspect, an 
aspect ; respect, respect ; and suspect, suspicious ; in 
the singular and plural number, before a word begin- 
ning with a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute? 



32 A TOUCHSTONE. 

139. 

What is the difference between : le vin nouveau, and le 
nouveau vin ; de nouveaux livres, and des livres nouveaax ? 

140. 

How do you pronounce the words: cap, a cape; Gap, 

(a town) ; jalap, jalap ; julep, julep ; hanap, a mug ; 
laps, a lapse ; relaps, a relapse ? 

141. 

How must I express in French : the lion roars, the 
lark sings ; and the other sounds of birds, and cries of 

animals ? 

142. 

How is the termination ourg, in the names of towns 
pronounced: as, Augsbourg; Augsburg; Brandebourg, 
Brandenburg ; Edimbourg, Edinburgh ; Fribourg, 
Friburg ; Hambourg, Hamburgh ; Petersbourg, Peters- 
burgh ; Strasbourg, Strasburg, &c. 

143. 

What difference is therebetween : oublier afaireune 
chose, and oublier dcfaire tine chose ? 



144. 

How do you pronounce the following words, before 
a consonant, and before a word beginning with a 
vowel or h mute : drap, cloth ; trop, too much ; galop, 
a gallop ; sirop, syrop ; Ops, Ops ; Pelops, Pelops ? 

145. 

Ce sont les mechans qui Wicked men have misled 

I'ont tgari. him. 

Cest V avarice et V ambition Avarice and ambition are 

qui troublent le monde. a plague to the world. 

Why is the verb elre in the plural, in the first exam- 
ple, and in the singular in the last ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 33 

146. 

How do you pronounce the d of the termination 
ord, as in : accord, an agreement ; abord, access ; &c, 
before a word beginning with a consonant, and before 
a vowel or h mute ? 



147. 
How is the plural of the following words formed ? 

Boute-en-irain, decoy-bird, casse-cou, unsafe place. 

brise-glace, starling (ice- casse-cul, hind fall. 

breaker). casse-tete, puzzle-brain. 

brise-scelle, letter-breaker. dame-jeanne, demi-john. 

brise - cou, break - neck pied-a-terre, house of call. 

stairs. reine-Claude, greengage. 

brise-vent, fence. rose-croix, rosicrucian. 

brise-raison, random-talk- tete-d-tete, tete-a-tete. 

er. 

148. 

What difference is there between : le bois mort, and 
le mort bois ? 

149. 
How do you pronounce the words : rum, rum ; and 
rumb, rhumb : and how is the article un, a or an, arti- 
culated before a word beginning with a consonant, and 
before a vowel or h mute ? 

150. 

What difference is there between : une couple de 
pigeons, and une paire de pigeons ? 



151. 

Ilfaui distinguer la bien- A distinction must be 
faisance de la charite. made between benefi- 

cence and charity. 

// ne saii pas distinguer sa He cannot distinguish his 
main gauche, d'avec sa right hand from his 

main droite. left. 



34 A TOUCHSTONE. 

Why is the verb distitiguer here followed by de, in 
the first example, and by d'avcc in the last ? 

152. 

How do you pronounce : corridor, a corridor ; or, 
gold ; and the last syllable of all other words ending 
in or ? 



153. 

What is the difference between : prier quelqu'un a 
diner, and prier quelqu'un de diner ? 

154. 

What sound has x, in the words execrable, execra- 
ble ; exit, exile ; exhumer, to disinter ; exhausser, to 
raise ; exhorter, to exhort : examen, examination ; 
exercice, exercise ? 

155. 

How do you pronounce the final consonant of the 
following words : talc, isinglass ; Abraham, Abra- 
ham ; dam, cost ; Priam, Priamus ; quidam, a cer- 
tain person ; Amsterdam, Amsterdam ; Adam, Adam ; 
Roterdam, Rotterdam ; Siam, Siam ; Ephra'im,- 
Ephraim ? 

156. 

What difference is there between : chasser le liivre, 
and chasser au lievre ? 



157. 

J'aime mieux danser, que I like to dance better than 
chanter. to sing. 

J'aime mieux lui pardon- I would forgive him, ra- 
wer, que de le rcduire an ther than throw him 
desespoir. into despondency. 

Why is aimer mieux followed by que only, in the 
first instance, and by que de in the latter ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 35 



158. 



What is the feminine gender of the following ad- 
jectives : caduc, frail ; benin, benign ; malin, mis- 
chievous ; doux, sweet ; tiers, third ; jrais, fresh ; 
Javori, favourite ; public, public ; sec, dry ; Grec, 
Greek ; Turc, Turk ; beni, blessed ; benit, hallowed, 
or holy ; iraitre, treacherous ? 

159- 

How is qu pronounced in : Quintilien, Quintilian ; 
Quinte-Curce, Quintus Curtius ; Sixte-quint, Sixtus 
the fifth ; Charles-quint, Charles the fifth. 

160. 

How is the last syllable of the following words pro- 
nounced, before another word beginning with a 
consonant, and before a vowel or h mute : bigot, a 
bigot ; apricot, an apricot ; ballot, a bale ; billot, a 
block ; fagot, a faggot j cahot, a jolt ; gigot, a leg of 
mutton ; goulot, the neck of a bottle ; grelot, a little 
bell ; javelot, a javelin ; lot, a prize ; paquebol, a 
packet ; pivot, a pivot ; brul6t, a fire-ship ? 



161. 

What difference is there between : un nouvel habit, 
tin habit nouveau, and un habit neuf? 



162. 

How are the following sentences to be rendered in 
English : j'apprehende qu'il n 'arrive ; je n'appre- 
hende pas qu'il arrive ; j'apprehende qu'il n arrive 
pas ; n'apprehendez-vous pas qu'il n' arrive ; je riappre- 
hende pas qu'il n arrive pas ? 

163. 

How is the termination ier in sentier, a path ; and 
in the names of trees ; as, amandier, an almond-tree ; 
cajier, a coffee-tree, &c. ; pronounced before a woid 



36 A TOUCHSTONE. 

beginning with a consonant, and before a vqwel or 
h mute ? 

164. 

The word fori, when an adverb, signifies very ; 
when an adjective, strong, &c. ; and when a noun, 
a fort. How is it pronounced in each case, before a 
word beginning with a consonant, and before a vowel 
or h mute ? 

165. 

La moitie de son discours Half of his discourse was 

ne valoit rien. good for nothing. 

Le tiers des vignes est A third part of the vines 

gele. are frozen. 

La moitie de ces bouteilles Half of these bottles are 

sont vides. empty. 

Plus de la moitie de ses The best part of his bread 

depens sont payes. is eaten. 

Why does the verb in the two first examples, agree 
with the collective noun partitive in the singular 
number ; and in the two last, in the plural ? 

" 166. 

How do you pronounce the final syllable of the words: 
ciment, cement ; compliment, a compliment ; contre- 
vent, an outside shutter ; element, an element ; en- 
gouement, a prepossession ; enjouement, gaiety ; en- 
tetement, obstinacy ; before a word beginning with a 
consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

167. 

What is the past participle of the verbs : repaitre, 
to feed ; resoudrc, to reduce, or turn into ; traire, 
to milk : and what is the infinitive mood of the parti- 
ciple issu, descended from ? 

168. 

Celoit hicr Dimanche. Yesterday was Sunday. 

Cest la mon cheval. That is my horse. 

. Why is ce used in these sentences, and not il ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



37 



169. 
What difference is there between : ce paraveni ne 
vous sert de rien, and ce paraveni ne vous sert d rien ? 

170. 

What pronunciation do you give to the last syllable 
of the following words, before a word beginning with 
a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute : dernier, 
last ; fier, proud ; ecolier, a scholar ; entier, entire ; 
familier, familiar ; grenier, a granary ; grossier, rude ? 

171. 

Why is tout, in the following example, not made to 
agree with the nouns yeux and oreilles ? 

Cette femme est tout yeux, This woman sees and 
et tout oreilles. hears every thing. 

172. 

How is gn pronounced in signet, the register or 
tassel of a book ; and in the proper names Regnard, 
Regnaud, and Clugtiy ? 

173. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of the fol- 
lowing words, before another word beginning with a 
consonant, and before a vowel, or k mute : guer- 
rier, a warrior ; heritier, an heir ,• ouvrier, a work- 
man ; hospitalier, hospitable ; qfficier, an officer ; 
huissier, a door-keeper ; meurtrier, a murderer ; 
. laurier, a laurel ; manufacturier, a manufacturer ; 
papier, paper ; prisonnier, a prisoner ; parliculier, 
peculiar ; a private person ? 

174 

Ce sont de savantes gens, They are learned, but 

maisfort dangereux. very dangerous people. 

Les vieilles gens sont Old people are suspicious, 
soup^ormeux. 



88 A TOUCHSTONE. 

Why, in each of the preceding sentences, are the 
two adjectives put in different genders, though re- 
ferring to the same substantive ? 

175. 

Of what gender are duche-pairie, a duchy-peerage ; 
garde, a guard ; and automne, autumn ? 

176. 

How do you pronounce the words : arc, an arch j 
arc-en-ciel, a rainbow; arc-de-triomphe, a triumphal 
arch ; arc-boutant, a buttress ; arc-bouter, t6 prop ? 

177. 

What difference is there between : aider quelqu'uti, 
and aider d quelqu'un ? 

178. 

How are the following words pronounced, before a 
word beginning with a consonant, and before a vowel 
or h mute : lo?ig, long ; affront, an affront ; front, 
a forehead. 

179. 

Voyez comment il travaille. 7 gee how he workg 
Voyez comme il travaille. $ 

Why is the word how translated by comment in the 
first example, and by comme in the last ? 

180. 

What is the difference between : Hre en campagne, 
and etre a. la campagne ? 

181. 

What sound is given to gua in lingual, lingual ; 
la Guadaloupe, Guadaloupe ; and la Guadiane, the 
Guadiana. (a river) 



A TOUCHSTONE. 39 

182. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of the 
following words, before another word beginning with 
a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

Patient, patient, (adj.) regent, regent. 

patient, malefactor. regiment, regiment. 

penitent, penitent. sergent, serjeant. 

present, present. serpent, serpent. 

president, president. talent, talent. 

ralliement, rallying. trident, trident. 

183. 

The adjective cher is sometimes put before, and 
sometimes after the noun. What difference of mean- 
ing does this occasion ? 

184. 

What difference is there between i cetle dame a Vair 
fier, and cette dame a I'airjiere ? 



185. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of the 
words Jupiter, Jupiter ; Lucifer, Lucifer ; Luther, 
Luther ; magister, a pedant ; frater, a young barber ? 

186. 

How do you translate into French : / expect he will 
come ; do not expect that I will do it ? (s'attendre) 

187. 

Un grand nombre de sa- A great number of learn- 

vans soutiennent cette ed men maintain that 

opinion. opinion. 

Une infinite de gens An infinite number of 

pensent ainsi. people think so. 

Why are the verbs soutiennent and pensent in the 
plural, the nouns nombre and infinite being in the 
singular ? 

p % 



40 A TOUCHSTONE. 



188. 



How do you pronounce the words coup, a blow ; 
loup, a wolf ; and beaucoup, much ; before a word 
beginning with a consonant, and before a vowel or 
h mute? 

189- 

What difference is there between : unefausse porte, 
and tine porte fausse ? 

190. 

How are the following words pronounced, before 
another word beginning with a consonant, and before 
a vowel or h mute : plomb, lead ; prompt, quick ; il 
interrompt, he interrupts ; il rompt, he breaks ; il 
corrompt, he corrupts ? 

191. 

Puis-je certifier que cela est ? \ Can I declare or affirm 
Puis-je certifier que cela soit ? J that to be the case ? 

When ought the first of these expressions to be 
used, and when the last ? 

192. 

How do you pronounce almanack, an almanack ; 
and lacs, a snare ; before a word beginning with a 
consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

193. 

On ne fait jamais tant de Men never commit so 

folies, que quand on many follies as when 

aime. they are in love. 

II faut etre docile, lors- We must be tractable 

qu'ow nous reprend a when we are justly re- 

propos. proved. 

Why is when expressed by quand in the first ex- 
ample, and by lorsque in the last ? 

194. 

How do you pronounce : ais, a shelf; jais, jet ; je 
sais or sai, I know ; and fait, a fact ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 41 

195. 
What difference is there between : je crains qu'il ne 
vienne, and je trains qu'il ne vienne pas ? 

196. 

Une paleur de defaillance, A sickly paleness, and a 

une sueurfroide, sere- cold sweat, pervade his 

pand sur tous ses mem- limbs. 
bres. 

Le Men et le mal sont en Good and evil are in his 



ses mains. 



hands. 



Why is the verb put in the singular in the first 
example, and in the plural in the last ? 

197. 

How are the words mozurs, manners ; and nceud, 
a knot, pronounced ? 

198. 

Why is the pronoun it expressed by il, and not by 
ce, in this sentence : j'ai vu le Louvre ; il est magni- 
Jique, I have seen the Louvre ; it is very grand ? 

199. 

Tout hero'ique et toute However brave and praise- 

louable quest cetle ac- worthy this action is, it 

tion, elle ne sera pas will not be rewarded. 
recompensee. 

Tout aimables et toutes Amiable and pretty as 

jolies que sont ces dames, those ladies are, I do 

elles ne me plaisent pas. not like them. 

Why does the first tout in each of the above exam- 
ples remain unvaried, while the second is declined ? 

200. 

How do you pronounce the following nouns, before 
a word beginning with a consonant, and before a 
vowel or h mute : bac, a ferry ; tabac, tobacco ; iac, 
d 3 



42 A TOUCHSTONE. 

a bag ; lac, a lake ; estomac, stomach ; hamac, a 
hammock ; tillac, a deck ? 

201. 

What difference is there between : un homme plai- 
sant, and un plaisant homme ? 

202. 

How is ck pronounced in archeveque, an archbishop; 
archiepiscopal, archiepiscopal ; archiepiscopat, an arch- 
bishop's dignity ? 

203. 

Cet homme va toujours That man goes always 

nu-pieds. barefoot. 

Je siiis d vous dans une I will be with you in 

deiai-heure. half an hour. 

II va pieds nus, mtme au He goes barefoot even in 

cceur de I'hiver. the middle of winter. 

II y a plus d'une keure et I have been waiting for 

demie que je vous attends. you above an hour and 
a half. 

Why are the adjectives nu and demi put in the 
masculine singular in the two first of the above ex- 
amples, and not in the two last, since they qualify 
the same nouns in both cases ? 



204. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of public, 
public ; trqfic, traffick ; and all other words ending 
in ic? 

205. 

Oest la loi qui Vordonne. The law prescribes it. 
Cest un mendiant qui It is a beggar that knocks. 

frappe. 
Cest la plus grande sottise. It is the greatest folly. 

Why is the pronoun it expressed by ce, and not by 
il, in the above examples ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 43 

206. 

What difference is there between : emporter le prix ; 
and r emporter le prix ? 

207. 

How is the last syllable of the following words 
pronounced, before a word beginning with a conso- 
nant, and before a vowel or h mute : apparat, pre- 
paration ; chat, a cat ; fat, a coxcomb ; forgat, a 
galley-slave ; grabat, a couch ; mat, a checkmate ; 
unwrought gold ; faded ? 

208. 

Tout aisees et tout hon- Easy and obliging as his 

netes que sont ses ma- manners are, he does 

nieres, il ne plait pas a not please every body. 
tout le monde. 

Toute fausse et toute Though this doctrine is 

ha'issable qu'est cette very false and odious, 

doctrine, elle est fort it prevails very much 

repandue dans tons les in every country. 
pays. 

Why is tout put in the masculine singular in the 
first example, and not in the last ? 



How do you pronounce the last syllable of ablatif 
ablative; reciiatif, recitative; baillif a bailiff ; and 
all other words ending in if, before a word beginning 
with a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

210. 

What difference is there between : un air grand, 
and un grand air ? 

211. 

In what cases ought an euphonic t to be inserted 
between the verb in the third person singular, and 
the personal pronoun coming after it ? 



44 A TOUCHSTONE. 

212. 
What sound is given to z, in the following words : 
Fez, Fez ; Booz, Boaz ; Rodez, SeeZj Senez, (towns 
in France) ; and Rez (a town in Austria) ? 

213. 

Cettefemme n'est pas aussi This woman is not so 

savante que je I'avois learned as I had 

imagine. imagined. 

Combien de gloire il a What glory he has ac- 

acquise ! quired ! 

Why is the participle in the masculine in the first 
example, and not in the second ? 

214. 

The proper articulation of the vowel e, constitutes 
the chief beauty of the French pronunciation. It has 
at least six different sounds. E guttural, and e mute, 
are those which are most commonly mispronounced 
by foreigners ; and it is in this particular alone, that 
they are often immediately distinguished from the 
natives of France ; it being utterly impossible ever to 
acquire the truo French accent, without being per- 
fectly master of the respective sounds of this letter ; 
and especially of the two sounds just mentioned, which 
occur in a great number of words in daily use. — 
Which are those words ? 

215. 

What difference is there between : un air mauvais, 
and un mauvais air ? 

216. 
Tout la Haye en est All the Hague is frighted 

alarme. at it. 

Tout Londres est em- All London is in a con- 

brase. flagration. 

Why are the participles alarme and embrase, and 
the adjective tout, put in the masculine gender, the 
nouns to which they refer being, in both examples, 
of the feminine gender ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 45 

217. 
How do you pronounce the last syllable of geant, a 
giant ; faineant, lazy; mecreant, miscreant; neant, no- 
thingness ; before a word beginning with a consonant, 
and before a vowel or h mute ? 

218. 

There are some words beginning with a vowel, 
before which the particles ce, de, le, la, que, undergo 
no retrenchment. Which are those words ? 



219. 
What sound is given to 11, and rr, in the fol- 
lowing words : cuiller, a spoon ; illusion, an illusion ; 
torrent, a torrent ; il courra, he will run ; il mourroit, 
he would die ; erreur, an error ; ierreur, terror ; 
horreur, horror ; irrite, irritated ; terrible, terrible ; 
errone, erroneous ; corridor, a gallery ; perroquet, a 
parrot; correspondant, a correspondent; souterrain, a 
vault ; and in all words beginning with ir, followed 
by another r ? 

220. 

What difference is there between : la pauvre femme 
se jeta dans mes bras, and la pauvre femme se jeta 
entre mes bras ? 

221. 

Cette promenade est tout This walk is quite d iffer- 
autre qu'elle n'etoit. ent from what it was. 

Toute autre auroit rejete Any other woman would 
une telle proposition. have rejected such a 

proposal. 

Why is the word tout put in the masculine gender 
in the first example, and in the feminine in the 
second ? 

222. 

How is the word neuf pronounced, before a word 
beginning with a consonant, before a vowel or h mute, 
and at the end of a sentence ? 



46 A TOUCHSTONE. 



What is the plural of honnete homme, an honest 
man ? 

224. 

La somme que celte affaire The sum which that bu- 

m'a coute ? siness has cost me. 

Que de valeur il a mon- What courage he has 

tree ! shown ! 

Why is the participle in the first example in the 
masculine, and in the second in the feminine gender ? 



How is the nasal termination in, as in : chagrin, 
grief; butin, booty, &c, pronounced before a word 
beginning with a vowel or h mute ? 



How are v'mgt, twenty, and cinq, five ; pronounced 
before a word beginning with a consonant, before a 
vowel or h mute, and at the end of a sentence ? 



C'est Dieu qui nous a donne God gave our existence. 

Vetre. 
Cest le devoir d'un chre- It is a christian's duty 

tien de pardonner d ses to forgive his enemies. 

ennemis. 

Why are the above sentences not expressed as fol- 
lows, • instead of beginning with ce : Dieu ?ious a 
donne Vetre ; le devoir de I' homme est de pardonner a 
ses ennemis ? 



228. 

What difference is there between : if est laillcur,imd 
c'est un tailleur ? 



A TOUCHSTOKE. 47 



How do you pronounce the words : carquais, a qui- 
ver ; harnois, harness ; sonrnois, sullen ; des livres 
Tournois, French livres ; before a word beginning 
with a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

230. 

Le peuple Juif est disperse The Jewish people are 
par toate la terre. scattered throughout 

the earth. 

L'armee des infideles fut The army of the infidels 
entierement defaite. was entirely routed. 

Why is the verb etre put in the singular number 
in both these sentences ? 



231. 

How is the letter I pronounced in deuil, mourning 
seuil, a threshold ; and fauteuil, an arm-chair ? 



What difference is there between : le ricke Lucullus, 
and Lucullus le riche ? 



233. 

Cestun lieu oul 'on respire It is a place where pure 
un air pur : et Ton y air is breathed, and 

vit aussi a bon marche. where one may also live 

very cheap. 

On souffre aisement, des One easily brooks reproof, 
reprehensions ; mais on but not derision. 

ne souffre point la rail- 
lerie. 
Why is Von used in the first example ; and on only > 

in the second ? 

234. 

How do you pronounce the following words, before 
a word beginning with a consonant, and before a 



48 A TOUCHSTONE. 

vowel or h mute : pied, a foot ; trepied, a trivet 
couvre-pied, a quilt; contre-pied, a wrong sense, 
marche-pied, a footstool ; il s'assied, he sits down : 
il messied, it is unbecoming ; il sied, it becomes ? 

235. 

Of what gender are the nouns couple, a couple 
and enfant, a child ? 



Les chaleurs excessives The excessive heat of 
qn'il a fait cet ete, ont this summer, has caused 
cause bien des maladies. many diseases. 

De la faqon que j'ai dit, From the explanation I 
en a du m entendre, have given, I ought to 

be understood. 

Why are the participles fait and dit, in the mascu- 
line singular ? 

237. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of agir, to 
act; loisir, leisure; and plaisir, pleasure; before a 
word beginning with a consonant, and before a vowel 
or h mute? 



What difference is there between : une langue pauvre, 
and une pauvre langue ? 



De deux files qu'elle avoit, Of the two daughters she 

elle en a fait une rcligi- had, she has made one 

euse. a nun. 

La perie el les profits aux- The profits and loss he 

quels il a participe, sont has shared in, are very 

considerables. great. 

Why are the participles fait and participe, put in 
the singular masculine ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 49 

240. 

What sound has the final » of ancien, ancient; 
bien, very; bien, property; and rien, nothing; be* 
fore a word beginning with a consonant, and before a 
vowel or k mute ? 

241. 

What difference is there between : un seul enfant, 
and un enfant seul ? 



How is the termination end pronounced before a 
word beginning with a consonant, and before a vowel 
or h mute ? 

243. 
L'un et I 'autre est mart. They are both dead. 

Uun et V autre me trom- They both deceive me. 
pent. 

Why is the verb in the singular in the first exam- 
ple, and in the plural in the last ? 



244. 

What difference is there between : unfou tire, and 
un rirefou ? 

245. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of the fol- 
lowing words, before another word beginning with a 
consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

Client, client. mortifiant, vexatious. 

confiant, sanguine. negotiant, merchant. 

etudiant, student. Orient, East. 

kumiliant, mortifying. pliant, folding-stool. 

liant, suppleness. riant, cheerful. 

insouciant, thoughtless. suppliant, petitioner. 

mendiant, beggar. variant, changeable. 



50 A TOUCHSTONE. 

246. 

What difference is there between : le jeune Scipion, 
and Scipion le jeune ? 

247. 

Personne n'est si malheu- Nobody is so unhappy as 

reux qu'elle. she. 

Je ne connois personne plus I know no one so happy 

heureuse qu'elle. as she. 

"Why is the adjective put in the masculine in the 
first example, and in the feminine in the second ? 



248. 

How is the x of index, an index ; and perplex, 
perplexed ; sounded before a word beginning with a 
consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

249. 

There are many nouns in the French language, 
which are masculine in one signification, and feminine 
in another. — Which are they ? 



250. 

What difference is there between : quelle est votre 
erreur ? and quelle erreur est la votre ? 



251. 

How do you pronounce the words huit, eight ; and 
puits, a well ; before a word beginning with a conso- 
nant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 



252. 

Les figures quej'ai appris The figures I have learned 

a dessiner. to draw. 

Les personnes que j'ai in- The persons I have taught 

struites d dessiner. to draw. 



A TOUCHSTONE. 51 

Why is the participle declined in the last example, 
and not in the first ? 



253. 

How are the following words pronounced, before 
another word beginning with a consonant, and before 
a vowel or k mute : rut, rutting ; brut, rough ; luth, 
sl lute; defunt, deceased; emprunt, a loan; but, a 
design ? 

254. 

What difference is there between : un pauvre auteur, 
and un auteur pauvre ? 

255. 

L'armee de nos allies est The army of our allies is 
tres-grande, et les sol- very large, and its sol- 
dats en sont bien discip- diers well disciplined. 
lines. 

La republique avoit con- The republic had pre- 
serve ses conquetes. served its conquests. 

Why is the pronoun its rendered by en in the first 
example, and by ses in the second ? 



256. 

How do you pronounce the termination iez, in the 
different tenses of verbs, before a word beginning 
with a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 



257. 

What difference is there between : e'est un vildin 
homme, and e'est un homme vilain f 



258. 

La plupart coururent aux The greatest part ran to 

armes. arms. 

La plupart du monde se Most people suffer them- 
tromper. selves to be deceived. 

E 2 



52 A TOUCHSTONE. 

Why is the verb in the first instance in the plural^ 
and in the last in the singular ? 



259. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of singulier, 
singular ; and volontiers, willingly ; before a word be- 
ginning with a consonant, and before a vowel or h 
mute ? 

260. 

What difference is there between : mes deux cousins 
sont prets a mourir, and mes deux cousins sont pres de 



How do you pronounce the words : odorat, the smell ; 
plat, a dish ; rat, a rat ; vivat, an huzza ; and chut ! 
hush ! before a word beginning with a consonant, and 
before a vowel or h mute ? 



262. 

Cela est deSagrtable & voir. That is displeasing to the 

sight. 
II est desagriable d'avoir It is disagreeable to have 
affaire a des chicaneurs. to do with chicaners. 

Why is the adjective desagreable, followed by the 
preposition a in the first instance, and by de in the 
last? 



What difference is there between : la maison dont il 
sort, and la maison d'oil il sort ? 



264. 

How are the words kier, yesterday ; and premier, 
first; pronounced before a word beginning with a 
consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



II ne s'attendoit pas cl une He did not expect so 
aide si prompte. quick a relief. 

L'aide des ceremonies Hoit The deputy-master of the 
IreS'poli, ceremonies was very- 

polite. 

Why are the two adjectives prompte and poll put 
in different genders ? 



How do you pronounce Cotignac, (a town); Marc, 
Mark; broc de vin, a jug of wine; marc d'or, an 
acknowledgment paid on entering on a business ? 



267. 

What is the feminine of the adjectives^/af, foolish ; 
and chcdain, auburn : and how do you pronounce the 
words sieur, sir or master ; and messieurs, gentlemen ? 



II demande d'etre dispense He begs to be excused 
de cette demarche. taking that step. 

II demande a entrer dans He desires to be admitted 
cette compagnie. into that company. 

Why is the verb demander followed by the prepo* 
sition de in the first example, and by a in the last? 



How do you pronounce the words sang, blood; 
rang, rank ; and orang-outang, orang-outang ; before 
a word beginning with a consonant, and before a 
vowel or h mute ? 

270. 

What difference is there between : un peuple cruel, 
and un cruel peuple ? 

e 3 



54 A TOUCHSTONE. 

271. 

How do you pronounce the words : nerf, a nerve ; 
bceyf-graS) a fatted ox $ and ceuf dur, a hard egg ? 

272. 
Les jours qu'il a vecu. The days he has lived. 

Toutes les choses qu'il a pu. Every thing he could. 

Why are the participles vecu and pu not made to 
agree with the nouns that precede them ? 

273. 

What difference is there between : les termes pro- 
pres, and les propres termes ? 

274. 

How do you pronounce the words : tot, soon ; prevOt, 
a sheriff; and rdt, roast meat ; before a word begin- 
ning with a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

275. 

What difference is there between : je I'ai vue pein- 
dre, and je I'ai vu peindre ; je les ai vus piller t and 
je les ai vu filler ? 

276. 

Je comprends qu'il doit I conceive that he must 

itre Jache. be angry. 

Je ne comprends pas que I do not conceive how 

cela puisse avoir lieu. that can be. 

Why is the verb in the indicative in the first exam- 
ple, and in the subjunctive in the last? 

277. 
How do you pronounce the words : done, then ; 
jonc, a rush ; and tronc, a trunk ; before a word be- 
ginning with a consonant, and before a vowel or h 
mute? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 55 

278. 

What difference is there between : un grand homme, 
and un homme grand ; and how are the following sen- 
tences rendered in English: un grand homme see, and 
un homme grand dans ses projets? 

279. 

How do you pronounce : des hceufs, oxen ; des nerfs, 
sinews ; des ceufs, eggs ; before a word beginning 
with a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 



La peur ou le hesoin, font Every motion of the 
tons les mouvemens de mouse is occasioned by 
la souris. fear or want. 

Why is the verb font in the plural ; the two preced- 
ing nouns being separated by a disjunctive conjunc- 
tion ? 

281. 

What difference is there between : I'annee derniere, 
and la derniere annee ? 



282. 

Is h mute, or articulated, in the following words : 
Henri, Henry ; Henriade, Henriade ; hangar, a cart- 
shed ? 



L'aigle courageux n'en- The timid dove is not the 
gendre point la timide offspring of the coura- 

colombe. geous eagle. 

L'aigle imperiale etoit The imperial eagle was 
autrefois les armes de once the national arms. 

I'Empire. 

Why is the adjective courageux in the masculine, 
and imperiale in the feminine gender ? 



56 A TOUCHSTONE. 

284. 

How do you pronounce grand, great; and quand, 
when ; before a word beginning with a consonant, and 
before a vowel or h mute ? 



285. 

What difference is there between : une clef fausse, 
and une fausse clef? 



Tons les juges ont opine Every judge voted ac- 
chacun selon ses lumieres. cording to his convic- 

tion. 
lis ont apporte chacun Every one brought his 
leur offrande. offering. 

Why is the possessive pronoun his rendered by ses 
in the first example, and by leur in the last ? 



2S7. 

How are the words fief, tenure ; grief, grievance ; 
and relief, relievo ; pronounced before another word 
beginning with a consonant, and before a vowel or h 
mute ? 



What difference is there between : un conte plaisant, 
and tin plaisant conte ? 

289- 

How are the following words pronounced, before 
another word beginning with a consonant, and before 
a vowel or h mute : alphabet, an alphabet ; ballet, a 
ballet ; billet, a note ; et, and ; guet, a watch ; jet, a 
throw ; net, clean ; tacet, a pause ? 



2yu. 

Croyez-vous qu'il reviendra ? Do you think he will 
Croyez-vous qu'il revienne ? return ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 57 

These expressions, though both rendered in English 
by : do you think he will come bach, or return ? are not 
used promiscuously in French. When ought I, there- 
fore, to put the second verb in the subjunctive, and 
when in the indicative ? 



291. 
What difference is there between : donner chasse, 
and donner la chasse ? 



How do you pronounce : bouc, a he-goat ; joug, 
a yoke ; soul, fuddled ; and pouls, a pulse ; before a 
word beginning with a Consonant, and before a vowel 
or h mute ? 



Osez-vous bien vous com- Dare you compare your- 

parer a ces grands self to those great men ? 
hommes ? 

Comparons la vertu avec Let us compare virtue 

le vice. with vice. 

Why is the verb comparer followed by a, in the 
first example, and by avec in the last ? 



What difference is there between : parler mal, and 
mal parler f 



How do you pronounce : David, David ; Cid, 
Arabian chief ; muid, a hogshead ; and nid, a nest ? 



The adjective mortel is sometimes placed before the 
noun, and sometimes after it. Does this occasion any 
difference in the meaning of that word ? 



58 



A TOUCHSTONE. 

297. 



How do you pronounce the termination ein, before 
a word beginning with a vowel or h mute, as in 
plein, full ; dessein, design, &c. ? 



II n'est point de laides 

amours. 
II y a autour d'elle mille 

petits amours. 
C'est la preuve d'un amour 

ardent. 



Never seemed mistress 

foul. 
A thousand cupids stand 

around her. 
It is a proof of violent 

love. 



Why is the adjective in the first example put in the 
feminine, and in the two last in the masculine gender ? 



299. 

What difference is there between : une eau morte, 
and une morte eau ? 

300. 

What pronunciation is given to the h in heros, a 
hero ; heroine, a heroine ; and heroique, heroic ? 

301. 

What difference of meaning is there between the 
following expressions ? 



Je tie puis plus. 

II est en maison. 

Je ne sais oil j' en suis. 

Se prendre a quelqu'un. 

On en etoit venu si avant, 

qu'il falloit vaincre, ou 

mourir. 

A 

Etre en I'air. 

Notre pre'dicuteur est en 

c/taire. 
II est dans I' eau. 
Nous sommes en hiver. 



Je n'en puis plus. 
II est dans la maison* 
Je ne sais ouje suis. 
S'en prendre a quelqu'un. 
On etoit venu si avant, 

qu'il falloit vaincre, ou 
A mourir. 
Etre dans I'air, or dans 

les airs. 
Notre predicateur est dans 

la chaire. 
II est en eau. 
Nous sommes dans I'hiver, 



A TOUCHSTONE. 59 

302. 

How do you pronounce the words : Est, East ; 
Quest, West ; lest, ballast ; zest ! fiddlestick ! 



What difference is there between : tomber par terre, 
and tomber d terre ? 



304. 

How do you pronounce the following words : amer, 
bitter ; baiser, a kiss ; berger, a shepherd ; boucher, 
a butcher ; boulanger, a baker ; cancer, a cancer ; 
clocher, a steeple ; cocker, a coachman ; archer, an 
archer ? 

305. 

What difference is there between : le haut ton, and 
le ton haut ? 

306. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of: hasard, 
chance ; and bavard, a babbler : and how is the 
termination ard pronounced in all other words, before 
a vowel or h mute ? 

307. 

Les deux Corneille se sont The two Corneilles have 
distingues dans les let- distinguished them- 

tres. selves by their learning. 

Les Corneilles sont rares The Corneilles are scarce 
sur notre Parnasse. among our poets. 

Why does the proper name Corneille take an s in 
the last example, and not in the first ? 



308. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of remparh 
a rampart ; part, a part ; and of all other words end- 
ing in art and ert, before a word beginning with a 
consonant, and before a vowel or k mute ? 



60 A TOUCHSTONE. 

309. 

What difference is there between : V Esprit Saint, 
and le Saint-Espril ? 

310. 
How do you form the plural of the following words ? 

Coq-d-l'dne, nonsense. cure-oreille, ear-picker. 

coupe-jarret, cut-throat. factum, case drawn in the 
courte-botie, short man. form of a plea. 

courte-pointe, counterpane, fesse-cahier, hired copier. 

couvre-chef, kerchief. fesse-mathieu, miser. 

couvre-feu, fire-plate. garde-chasse, game-keep- 
couvre-pied, quilt. er. 

credo, creed. garde -fou, rails along 
croc-en-jambe, trip. bridges, &c. 

cure-dent, toothpick. garde- c6te, cruiser. 

311. 

How do you pronounce the words bat, a pack-sad- 
dle ; mat, a mast ; degdt, havock ; appcd, a bait ; 
and il parldt, he might speak ; before a word begin- 
ning with a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 



312. 

What difference is there between : une cordefausse, 
and une fausse corde ? 

313. 

How do you pronounce the final syllable of Jupiter, 
Jupiter ; Lucifer, Lucifer ; Luther, Luther ; magis- 
ter, a country-schoolmaster ; and frater, a young 
barber ? 



314. 

What difference is there between : je veux epouser 
une femme qui a plus de vertu que de beaule, and je 
veux epouser tine femme qui ait plus de vertu que de 
beaule ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 61 

315. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of abonne- 
tnent, a subscription ; accent, an accent ; and accent, 
a manner of speaking ; before a word beginning with 
a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

316. 

Per sonne n'ose lui annon* Nobody dares inform him 

cer la mort de sonjils. of the death of his" son. 

Vous aurez raison de ne You will be in the right 

pas I'oser. not to venture on it. . 

Why is the verb oser attended by one negative only 
in the first example, and by two in the last ? 

317. 

How do you pronounce the words : clerc, a clerk ; 
verd, green ; and il perd, he loses ; before a word 
beginning with a consonant, and before a vowel or 
h mute ? 

318. 

What difference is there between : tdtez a. ce vin la ; 
and tdtez de ce vin Id ? 

319. 
How are the following sentences translated into 
English : je doute qu'il vienne ; je ne doute pas qn'il ne 
vienne ; Je doute s'il viendra ? 

320. 

How do you express in French : the head of a wild 
boar, of a pike, salmon; the snout of a hog; the muzzle of 
a stag, dog, fox, ox, lion, leopard, tiger ; the fangs 
of a wild boar ; the teeth of an elephant ? 

321. 

How are friand, dainty ; chaud, hot ; echqfaud, a 
scaffold ; and all other words terminating in and, 
r 



62 A TOUCHSTONE. 

pronounced before a word beginning with a consonant, 
and before a vowel or h mute ? 



What difference is there between : il s'occupe de 
detruire les abus, and il s'occupe a detruire les abus ? 



How do you pronounce the ch in tachigraphie, 
tachygraphy ; tackigraphe, a short-hand writer — the 
first g in gangrene, gangrene ; the c in secret, secret ; 
and the first c in necromancie, necromancy ? 

324. 

Le monde ne pardonne pas Men forgive not the most 
les moindres sottises. trifling follies. 

Le roi a pardonne a ce The king has pardoned 
criminel. that criminal. 

Why is the verb pardonner followed by the prepo- 
sition a in the last example, and not in the first ? 

325. 

How do you pronounce the words mil, a thousand ; 
mil, millet ; fol, a madman ; fol, foolish ; sol, a pen- 
ny ; sol, soil ; and sol, a sol (in music) ? 



What difference is there between : maltraiter, and 
trailer mal ? . 

327. 

How do you pronounce the words : tons, all ; Aout, 
August ; aoute, ripened ? 

328. 
The word orgue, an organ, is masculine in the 
singular, and feminine in the plural ; as, un bon orgue, 



A TOUCHSTONE. 63 

de bonnes orgues — this being the case, which of the 
three following expressions is most correct ? 

C'esl un des plus belles orgues. ? ft ig Qne of the finest 
C est un des plus beaux orgues. 



?Itis 
$ or| 



C'es* une des plus belles orgues. } ° 



How do you pronounce : bon, good ; wiora, my ; son, 
his or her ; ton, thy ; wore, no ; on, one, they ; be- 
fore a word beginning with a vowel or h mute ? 

330. 

What difference is there between : il ne se passera 
pas a cela, and il ne se passera pas de cela ? 

331. 

How do you pronounce : abandon, an abandoning ; 
Acheron, Acheron ; baton, a stick ; aiguillon, a goad ; 
and all other nouns ending in on nasal; before a word 
beginning with a vowel or h mute ? 



Voyuvre de la creation fut The work of the creation 

achevee en six jours. was finished in six days. 

Le premier et le second The first and second works 

ceuvre de ce musicien of this musician are in 

sontfort recherches. great demand. 

Why is the participle put in the feminine gender in 
first example, and in the masculine in the last ? 



How are chef, a chief; nef, the nave (of a church) ; 
and bref, a brief ; pronounced before a word begin- 
ning with a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute? 

334. 

What difference is there between : c'est demain 
conge, and ce sera demain conge ? 
F 2 



A TOUCHSTONE. 



335. 



How is the word sens pronounced in : le bon sens, 
good sense ; and le sens commun, common sense : and 
how do you pronounce the noun gril, a gridiron ? 



How do you express in French : the foot of a horse, 
ox, slag, camel, elephant, sheep, calf, goat, goose , 
the paw of a dog, cat, hare, rabbit, wolf bear, ape. 



rat ; the claws of a lion, cat, tiger, parrot; the talons 
of an eagle, vulture, hawk ; the mouth of a horse, 
camel, elephant, dog, lion, ox, wolf, crocodile, pike ? 

337. 

How is the plural of nouns and adjectives ending 
in ant and ent formed ? 

838. 

What difference is there between : j'ai achete ce 
cheval de mon frere, and j'ai achete ce cheval & mon 
frere ? 

339. 

How do you pronounce the words : quadrige, quad- 
riga ; liquefaction, liquefaction ; liquefier, to liquefy ; 
gentil, a gentile ; and gentil, pretty ? 

340. 

What is the plural of claire-voie, an opening ; bail, 
a lease ; and breche-dent, wanting a fore tooth ? 

341. 

Why are the past participles of the verbs .- plaindre, 
to pity ; craindre, to fear ; and fair, to flee, not used 
in the feminine ? 

342. 
How do you pronounce the following words : ex- 
archal, exarchy ; cotignac, quince marmalade ; dompter, 



A TOUCHSTONE. 65 

to tame ; distiller, to distil ; balsamique, balsamic ; 
bat, the tail of a fish ; batlologie, tautology ; calvitie, 
baldness ; damner, to damn ; chiste, cyst ; eigne, 
hemlock • aigue, acute ; contempteur, scorner ; enivrer, 
to intoxicate ? 

343. 

What difference is there between : cetle femme a 
accouche, and cetle femme est accouchee ? 



How do you pronounce the termination ort, before 
a word beginning with a consonant, and before a 
vowel or k mute ? 

345. 

La lettre que j \ai ecrite The letter I have written 

a votre ami. to your friend. 

Les ouvrages qu'a ecrits The works which that 

ce grand homme. great man has written. 

J'ai ecrit une lettre a votre I have written a letter to 

ami. your friend. 

Why is the participle declined in the two first 
examples, and not in the last ? 

346. 

What difference is there between : une voix com* 
mune, and une commune voix ? 

347. 

How do you pronounce the termination ir in the 
infinitive of verbs, and in nouns ; and the final er in 
the infinitive of verbs ; before a word beginning wi th 
a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 

348. 

What difference is there between : tout-a-coup, and 
tout d'un coup ? 

v 3 



66 A TOUCHSTONE. 

349. 

How do you pronounce the last syllable of the fol- 
lowing words, before another word beginning with a 
consonant, and before a vowel or h mute : fervent, 
fervent ; jroment, wheat ; gent, people ; ingredient, an 
ingredient ; jument, a mare ; mandement, a mandate ; 
Occident, West ; onguent, ointment ; parent, a rela- 
tion ; parlement, parliament ? 

350. 

What difference is there between : induire en er- 
reur, and induire a erreur ? 

351. 

How must I spell the verb annoncer, in those tenses 
where the c is followed by an a or an o ? 

352. 

What pronunciation is given to the final n of ex- 
amen, examination ; hymen, hymen ; gramen, cow- 
abdomen, abdomen ; and amen, amen ? 



353. 

Vous trouverez ci- joint co- You will find annexed a 

pie de ce que vous me copy of what you re- 

demandez. quire. 

Vous trouverez ci-incluse You will find the copy 

la copie que vous m 'avez you asked me for, in- 

demandee. closed. 

Why is the participle put in the feminine gender 
in the last example, and not in the first ? 

354. 

How do you pronounce the word nom, a name ; 
and its compounds, prenom, the first name ; surnom, 
the surname, &c, before a word beginning with a 
consonant, and before a vowel or h mute : and how 
are the words plat-bord, a gunnel ; and sauf, safe, 
pronounced ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 67 

355. 

What difference is there between : une plaisante 
comedie, and une comedie plaisante ? 



356. 

How are the words : dictrict, a district ; strict, strict ; 
and vehement, vehement, pronounced before a word 
beginning with a consonant, and before a vowel or h 
mute ? 

357. 

What difference is there between : gouter un mets, 
gouter d'un mets, and gouter a un mets ? 



358. 

The word git, in ci-git, here lies ; is a neuter and 
defective verb. What is the infinitive mood of this 
verb, and which are the tenses and persons still in 
use? 

359. 

How do you pronounce the termination ond, as in 
bond, rebound; blond, fair; fecond, fertile; prof ond, 
profound ; second, second, &c. ; before a word begin- 
ning with a consonant, and before a vowel or h mute ? 



360. 

What difference is there between the pronunciation 
of: vous etes satisfait, and vous etes saiisfaits ? 

361. 

How is the noun Jils, son, pronounced before a 
word beginning with a consonant, and before a vowel 
or h mute ? 



What difference is there between : insister a, and 
insister stir ? 



68 A TOUCHSTONE. 

363. 

How do you pronounce : cerf, a stag ; and serf, a 
slave; before a word beginning with a consonant, 
and before a vowel or k mute ? 

364. 

What difference is there between : les honneles gens, 
and les gens homietes ? 

365. 

How are the words : galant, gallant, or gallant ; and 
a V instant, immediately ; pronounced before a word 
beginning with a vowel or h mute ? 



What difference is there between : en un instant, 
and dans un instant ? 



How do you pronounce fol, a fool ; fol, foolish ; 
col, a neck ; col, a stock ; le col de Tende, the straights 
of Tend ; le col d'une chemise, the neck or collar of 
a shirt ; col, a defile ; le col de la vessie, et de la 
matrice, the neck of the bladder, and of the womb ; 
mol, soft ; b mol, a b flat, (in music) ? 



Of what gender are the following words : acte, an 
act ; concombre, a cucumber ; echange, an exchange ; 
empldtre, a plaister; equateur, equator; les pleurs, the 
tears ; saule, a willow ; equinoxe, equinox ; orcheslre, 
orchestra ; ivoire, ivory ; intervalle, an interval ; 
girqfle, cloves ; mensonge, a lie ; espace, a space ; 
etc, summer? 

369. 
What sound must I give to the first e of the two 
words answering to the English words desire, and 
desert ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 69 

370. 

What difference is there between : un marchand a 
affaire a toutes sortes de gens, and un marchand a affaire 
de toutes sortes de gens ? 

371. 

How do you pronounce : baril, a barrel ; quidam, a 
certain person ; and cog d'Inde, a turkey-cock ? 

372. 

What difference of signification is there between 
a'ieuls, and a'ieux ? 

373. 

How are the words : lis, a lily ; Jleur-de-lis, flower- 
de-luce; and club, a club, pronounced? 

374. 

What difference is there between : il Jit amitie a 
ious ces messieurs, and il Jit amitie avec tous ces mes- 
sieurs ? 

375. 
How is the termination act pronounced, before a 
a word beginning with a consonant, and before a 
vowel or h mute ? 

376. 

Why is the verb s'empresser followed by de, in the 
first of the following sentences, and by a in the last ? 

Je m'empresse de prendre lam anxious to begin to 

la parole. speak. 

II s 'empresse a rendre ser- He is eager to do a good 

vice a son ami. turn to his friend. 

377. 
How do you pronounce the words: laid, ugly; and 
lait, milk ; before a word beginning with a consonant, 
and before a vowel or h mute ? 



70 A TOUCHSTONE. 

378. 

C'est au maitre a parler. It is the master's business 

to speak. 
C'est au disciple de se The scholar ought to keep 
taire. silence. 

Why does the preposition a precede the infinitive 
mood in the first example, and de in the last ? 

379. 
How do you pronounce the following words, before 
a word beginning with a consonant, and before a 
vowel or h mute : Franc, a native of Franconia ; 
franc, a frank, (piece of money) ; franc, free ; chaos, 
chaos; clos, a close; repos, rest; and dos, aback? 

380. 

What difference is there between : etre en humeur 
defaire quelque chose, and etre d' humeur a. fair e quelque 
chose ? 

381. 

II est Men facile de repon- It is very easy to solve 
die a voire difficulty. your difficulty. 

Ciceron est facile a enten- Cicero is easy to be un- 
dre. derstood. 

Why is the first infinitive preceded by de, and the 
last by a. ? 



How do you pronounce the words: marc, (a weight) ; 
marc, husks, or grounds ; and pare, a park ? 

383. 

What difference is there between: eel hommen 'en- 
tend pas raillerie, and cet homme n'entend pas la 
raillerie ? 

384. 

How do you pronounce the words : pore, pork ; 
pore-epic, porcupine ; and il echoit, it happens ? 



A TOUCHSTONE. 71 

385. 

What difference is there between : je viens vous dire 
quej'ai vu voire sceur, andje viens de vous dire quej'ai 
vu voire soeur ? 

386. 

How do you pronounce 11 in the words : abattre, to 
throw down ; attirer, to draw ; and disette, scarcity ? 

387. 

What difference is there between : tin jour faux, 
and unfaux jour ? (applied to paintings) 



Why is the pronoun it expressed by il in the first of 
the following sentences, and by ce in the last ? 

II etoit a presumer qu'ilne It was to be presumed 
recevroit point de leltre. that he would receive 

no letter. 

C'est vous qui avez fait It is you who have done 
cela. that. 

389. 

What difference is there between : supplier une 
chose,1and suppleer a une chose ? 

390. 

Une dame s'est presentee a A lady came to the door, 

la porte; je I'ai laisse and I let her pass. 
passer. 

Les livres que vous avez The books you have taken 

ramasses, sont ceux que up, are those which my 

mon frere avoit laisse brother had let fall. 
tomber. 

Why is the first participle in each of the above 
sentences declined, and not the last one ? 



EXAMPLES OF BAD FRENCH, 

SUCH AS IS USUALLY SPOKEN BY THE DIFFERENT CLASSES 
OF FRENCH SCHOLARS IN ENGLAND. 



FIRST CLASS. 



1. J'ai ete a Vecole ces 

huit annees. 

2. Vous etes un tres-grand 
etranger. 

3. // trouve faute avec 
tout. 

4. J'ai tres soif. 

5. Nous romprons Vecole 
dans une semaine. 

6. Son nez court perpetu- 
ellement. 

7. Je desire vous pour 

donner moi un de mon 
nouveau chemise. 

8. Vous trouverez voire 
chapeau dessous la 
table. 

9. Voulez-vous faire un 
avec nous ? 

10. // manque quinze mi- 

nutes de douze. 

11. Je puis faire une che- 
mise avec cela. 

12. Vous etes a jouer, or 

vous etes pour jouer. 

13. La patience m'echappe. 
14-. Je vous prie, laissez- 

moi entendre de vous 
de terns en ferns. 



I have been at school 
these eight years. 

You are a very great stran- 
ger. 

He finds fault with every 
thing. 

I am very thirsty. 

We shall break up in a 
week. 

His nose runs perpetu- 
ally. 

I desire you to give me 
one of my new shirts. 

You will find your hat 
under the table. 

Will you make one with 

us? 
It wants fifteen minutes 

of twelve. 
I can make a shift with 

that. 
You are to play. 

My patience is exhausted. 
Pray let me hear from 
you now and then. 



BAD FRENCH. 



73 



] 5. Voire languc court sur 
des roues. 

1 6. Vous regardez bien. 

17. Je ne lui at pas parle 
pour deux ans. 

] 8. Les plus courtes folies 
sont les plus bonnes. 

1 9. Vous predites toutes les 
eclipses. 

20. Ne coupez pas mon nez. 

21. II y a un mur alentour 

de la cimetiere. 

22. La plupart de dames 
Jurent malheureuses. 

23. Cette lettre a ete re- 
pondue. 

24. II est trente minutes 
apres trois. 

25. Je ne puis pas faire 
une meilleure chemise. 

26. Appelez pour du pain. 

27. Vous avez davantage 
. d 'esprit que moi. 

28. J'ai lu cela sur la 
gazette. 

29. // est dix-sepl ans 
vieux, quoiqu'il ne re- 
garde pas si vieux; 
mais it est court de 
son age. 

30. Avez - vous appris le 

Francois long terns ? 

31. J'ai ete cherche par 
tout le monde. 

32. II ne m 'a pas dit qu'il 
avail besoin de I' argent. 

33. II n'y a personne de- 

dans I'eglise. 
3 4-. Quelqu 'un demande 
pour mon maitre. 

35. Mon nez saigne, or je 

saigne par le nez. 

36. Hernandez pour une 
piece de pain. 



Your tongue runs upon 

wheels. 
You look well. 
I have not spoken to him 

these two years. 
The shortest follies are 

the least prejudicial. 
You foretell every eclipse. 

Do not cut my nose. 

The churchyard is sur- 
rounded by a wall. 

Most of the ladies were 
unfortunate. 

This letter has been an- 
swered. 

It is thirty minutes past 
three. A half past three. 

I can make no better 
shift. 

Call for bread. 

You have more sense 
than I. 

I have read that in the 
newspaper. 

He is seventeen years old, 
though he does not look 
so old ; but he is short 
of his age. 

Have you been learning 

French a long time ? 
Every one has looked for 

me. 
He did not tell me he was 

in want of money. 
There is no one in the 

church. 
Somebody asks for our 

master. 
My nose bleeds. 

Ask for a piece of bread. 



74 



BAD FRENCH. 



37. La lievre courut a tr el- 

vers des bois. 

38. Cet objet a ete deli- 
bere. 

39. Vous ne savez pas ce 
que vous disez. 

40. Aucune personne vous 

dira. 

41. iZ est impardonnable 
pour avoir fait une 
faute si lourde. 

42. Mes ennemis sont par- 

donnes. 

43. Vous faut aller ; ma 
maitresse manque vous. 
Elle a appelle pour 
vous troisfois deja. 

44-. J'ai dit & votre pere 
de negocier ce billet 
dessus la place. 



The hare ran through the 

woods. 
This subject has been 

canvassed. 
You are not aware what 

you are saying. 
Any body will tell you. 

I cannot forgive him so 
great a blunder. 

My enemies are par- 
doned. 

You must go; my mistress 
wants you. She has 
called you three times 
already. 

I have told your father to 
negotiate that note of 
hand on Change. 



SECOND CLASS. 



45. // n'y a pis etat que 
celui d'un homme dont 
la conscience n'est pas 
pure. 

46. II est plus riche qu'il 

etoit. 

47. Je ne crois pas que 
J'ai tort, quandje dis 

qu'elle avoit Ires peur 
de vous. 

48. Si le public a eu 

quelque indulgence 
pour moi, je la dois a 
votre protection. 

49. L'indidgence que le 
public a eu pour moi, 
je le dois a voire pro- 
tection. 



No situation is worse 
than that of a man who 
has not a clear con- 
science. 

He is richer than he was. 

I do not believe I am 
wrong, when I say she 
was much afraid of you. 

If the public has shown 
me any indulgence, I 
am indebted to your 
protection for it. 

I am indebted to your 
protection for the indul- 
gence which the public 
has shown me. 



BAD FRENCH. 



75 



50. 
51. 

52. 

53. 
54. 
55. 

56, 

51. 

58. 
59. 

60. 

61. 
62. 

63. 
64. 
65. 
66. 



Le soleil a resolu le 
brouillard en pluie. 
La jeunesse est capa- 
ble de toutes sortes 
d'impressions. 
Un homme qui ne croit 
point en Dieu, est sus- 
ceptible de tous les 
crimes. 

II lui passa son ipee & 
travers le corps. 
Vous a-t-il dit qu'il a 
faim ? 

Plus d'un temoin ont 
depose. 

Montrez-moi la lecon 
que vous ont donne vos 
maitres. 

Je vous fais grace, 
quoique vous ne la 
meritez pas. 
Oest dans cetie maison 
oicje demeure. 
Quelle quantite de 
pierres it a entasse, 
(or entassee)! 
Savez-vous pincer de 
la harpe, ou de la 
guitare f 

Les chaleurs qu'il a 
faites. 

Laissez - nous gouter 
quelque de votre meil- 
leurvin du Portugal, 
des Canaries, et du 
Madere. 

Vousferez bien d'imiter 
son exemple. 
Le vertueux et V elo- 
quent Feneloti. 
Je n'espere pas que 
vous le Jerez. 
Ces livres sont faciles 
a se procurer. 



The sun has turned the 
fog into rain. 

Youth is capable of ad- 
mitting all sorts of im- 
pressions. 

A man who does not be- 
lieve in God, would 
commit all sorts of 
crimes. 

He ran him through the 
body. 

Did he tell you that he 
was hungry ? 

More than one witness 
has deposed. 

Show me the lesson your 
masters have given you. 

I pardon you, though you 
do not deserve it. 

This is the house I live 
in. 

What a number of stones 
he has gathered to- 
gether ! 

Can you play on the harp, 
or guitar ? 

The hot weather we have 
had. 

Let us taste some of your 
best Port wine, Tene- 
riff, and Madeira. 



You will do well to act 

up to his example. 
The virtuous and eloquent 

Fenelon. 
I do not expect you will 

do it. 
Those books are easily 

procured. 



76 



BAD FRENCH. 



67. J'espere que vous le 
fassiez. 

68. C'est la chose que 
j'aime la plus. 

69. On me rendra justice, 
et elle ne pent pas 
tarder. 

70. C'est a vous a qui je 
parte. 

71. Puisque vous m'inter- 
dites votre maison. 

72. Je n'aurois jamais 
pense que cela etoit a. 
vous. 

73. II est autanl indigne 

de vivre que sonfrere. 

74. Je vous evilerai la 
peine de lefaire. 

75. II vous faut venir. 

76. Je m'etonne que vous 

n'avez pas prevu cet 
accident. 

77. Nous avons proscrit 

aujourd'hui lesfemmes 
qui nous avons pros- 
crites Vannee passee. 

78. Cet homme a I'humeur 
pliable. 

79. C'est dans la tete-a- 
tete qu'elle est la plus 
aimable. 

80. Man frere a vingt et 

un cheval. 

81. Ma sceur touche du 

clavecin, et moi de 
I'orgue. 

82. Je ne m'en rappellepas. 

83. Cettefemme est prefect 
accoucher, or prete 
d'accoucher. 

84. On y monte par une 
douce pente. 

85. J'espere que nous ne 

I'avez pas dit. 



I hope you will do it. 

That is what I like best. 

Justice will be done me. 
and that ere long. 

It is to you I am speak- 
ing. 

Since you forbid me your 
house. 

I never thought that was 
yours. 

He is as unworthy to live 
as his brother. 

I will spare you the trou- 
ble of doing it. 

You must come. 

I am surprised you did 
not foresee that acci- 
dent. 

We have banished the 
same women to-day, 
that we banished last 
year. 

That man is of a flexible 
temper. 

She is most engaging in 
private conversation. 

My brother has twenty- 
one horses. 

My sister plays on the 
harpsicord, and I on 
the organ. " 

I do not recollect it. 

This woman is about to 
be delivered. 

A little hill leads up to 

it. 
I hope you did not say 

so. 



BAD FRENCH. 



77 



86. II faui que je votts 
observe premierement. 

87. L'un el V autre che- 

vaux. 

88. Maitre de langues 

Franqoise, Espagnole, 
et Italienne. 



I must first point out to 

you. 
Both the horses. 

Teacher of the French, 
Spanish, and Italian 
languages. 



Vers 
attacMs au Collier (Tun petit Chien. 

Fidelle a ma maitresse, attache a, ses pas, 

Sensible v des soins qu'elle me donne, 
Pres de mordre tous ceux qui ne l'aimeroient pas, 
Je n'ai pu mordre encor personne. 



THIRD CLASS. 



90. Cesar a plus gagne de 
batailles, que les autres 
n'en ont hies. 

91. La tragedie que fat 
vaejouer. 

92. J'ai prouve que JSsus- 

Christ viendroit juger 
les hommes. 

93. Le premier et le se- 
cond. Stages. 

94-. On croit n'etre pas 
irompe ; cependant on 
nous trompe d ckaque 
moment. 

95. Je lui ai rendu tous 

les services que j'ai 
pus, que j'ai voulus, 
que j'ai dies. 

96. Sont-ce Id vos inten- 

tions? — Out, ce sont 
elles. 
9 7« La poesie est une des 
sciences que j'ai la 
la plus cultivee. 



Caesar won more battles 
than others have read 
of battles. 

The tragedy I saw per* 
formed. 

I have proved that Jesus- 
Christ will come to 
judge men. 

The first and second 
stories. 

We fancy we are not 
cheated, and yet we 
are cheated every mo- 
ment. 

I have rendered him every 
service I could ; every 
service I wished, or 
ought to render him. 

Are those your inten- 
tions? — Yes, they are. 



Poetry is one of those 
sciences I have culti» 
vated most. 



g3 



78 



BAD FRENCH. 



98. On battit du tambour 
pour assembler la 
troupe. 

99. Ne les a-t-il pas 

assure que cela est ? 

1 00. Vous ne convenez pas 
qu 'il y a du sublime 
dans ces paroles. 

101. II a appr'is a battre 
le tambour. 

102. C'est unhomme dont 
la vertu en impose. 

103. J'espere de le voir 
aujourd'hui. 

104-. Ai-je dit que vous 
I'avez trompe ? 

105. Puis-je esperer Vob- 
tenir ? 

106. // est impossible que 
I'onpuisse s'imaginer 
la douleur que cette 
mort lui cause. 

107. lis se sont plus a me 
tourmenter. 

108. Ramassez les livres 
que vous avez laisses 
tomber. 

109. Les maris s'y ren- 
dirent avec leurs 

femmes. 

1 1 0. Auguste gouverna 
Rome avec un tempe- 
rament, une douceur 
soutenues, auxquelles 
il dut le pardon de ses 
anciennes cruautis. 

111. L'actrice que j 'ai vu 
Jouer.. 

112. De quelque religion 
qu'il soit. 

113. II me sembloit qu'il 
m'aimat. 

11 4. Sans peine, niplaisir. 



The drum was beat, to 
call the troops together. 

Did he not assure them 

that such is the case ? 
You will not agree that 

these words are at all 

sublime. 
He has learned to beat 

the drum. 
He is a man whose virtue 

commands respect. 
I hope to see him to-day. 

Did I say that you have 

deceived him ? 
May I hope to obtain it ? 

It is impossible to con- 
ceive his grief at the 
death of that person. 

They have taken pleasure 
in tormenting me. 

Take up the books you 
have dropped. 

The husbands repaired 
thither with their 
wives. 

Augustus was indebted 
for the pardon of his 
former cruelties, to the 
moderation and mild- 
ness with which he 
constantly governed 
Rome. 

The actress I have seen 
perform. 

Of whatever religion he 
may be. 

I thought he loved me. 

Without pain or pleasure. 



BAD FRENCH. 



79 



115. On vit sortir un tel 
nombre de feux d' ar- 
tifice, qu'il sembloit que 
twites les etoiles torn- 
boient. 

116. x Gravir un rocker. 
111. A quelle gloire qu'il 

soit parvenu. 

118. Ni Vor, ni la gran- 
deur notes rend heu- 
reux. 

119. Je vous en demande 
excuse. 

120. Je ne vous ai pas 
ecrit que j'etois re- 
tabli. 

121. Ore a retranche la 
portion de ce malade. 

122. Je ne vois pas com- 
ment on puisse s'en 
defendre. 

123. Cet enfant a ete mal 
enseigne. 

1 2 t. Je prefere de mourir, 
plutot que de dire tine 
mensonge. 

125. C'est dans son neg- 
lige qu'elle eloit la 
plus belle, (or le plus 
belle). 

126. Je prefere mourir 
avec vous, plutot que 
de vous trahir. 

127. II honor a les lettres 
de cette protection, de 
cet attachement reels, 
qui, dans un prince, 
sont si capables de les 

Jairejleurir. 

128. J'ai ditqu'un homme 
gSnereux devoit par- 
donner. 

129. Oil vous ou moi irons 
a Paris. 



Such a number of fire- 
works were seen issuing 
forth, that one might 
have thought the whole 
of the stars were falling. 

To clamber up a rock. 

To whatever glory he may 
have attained. 

Neither gold nor grandeur 
makes us happy. 

I beg your pardon. 

I did not write to you that 
I was recovered. 

That patient's allowance 
is forbidden him. 

I do not see how one can 
avoid it. 

This child has been ill 

taught. 
I would rather die than 

tell an untruth. 

She was most handsome 
in her dishabille. 



I would rather die with 
you, than betray you. 

He honoured learning 
with that protection, 
and that solid attach- 
ment, which, in a 
prince, are so capable 
of making it flourish. 

I said that a generous man 
ought to forgive. 

Either you or I will go 
to Paris. 



80 



BAD FRENCH. 



J 30. Le bon esprit, et la 
bonne sante devroient 
exciter I 'ambition de 
tons les hommes; mais 
ni Pun ni I' autre ne 
nous occupe. 

131. // faut retrancher 
plusieurs branches a 
cet arbre. 

132. En epousant les in- 
terests d'aulrut, nous 
ne devons pas 6pou- 
ser leurs passions. 

133. Je ne connois rien de 
plus agreable, et de 
plus charmant for, 
rien de plus agreable 
ni de plus charmant), 
que la fraicheur du 
soir, apres la chaleur 
dujour. 

134. On remarque souvent 
les defauts des autres, 
sansjaire attention a 
leurs bonnes qualites. 

135. Vous etes le seul qui 
a bien de'veloppe la 
the'orie des participes. 

136. II m'a dit qu'il ne 
falloitjamaisvendre la 
peau de I' ours, qu'on 
ne I'eul mis par terre. 

137. II aima toujour s cette 
per sonne dans son 
adversite". 

138. II s'est autant in- 
dignement acquitte de 
ses devoirs que son ami. 

139. Socrate etoit aussi 
sage que vaillant. 

140. Peut-etre pourrai-je 
vous V envoy er demain. 



A good disposition, and 
good health, ought to 
excite the ambition of 
every man ; but we 
neither trouble our- 
selves about the one, 
nor the other. 

Several branches must be 
lopped from this tree. 

In espousing the interests 
of others, we must not 
adopt their passions. 

I know nothing more 
agreeable, or more 
charming, than the 
coolness of the evening 
after the heat of the 
day. 



We often observe the 
faults of others, without 
paying any regard to 
their good qualities. 

You are the only one who 
has thoroughly ex- 
plained the theory of 
participles. 

He told me that we ought 
never to sell a bear's 
skin, until we have 
killed the bear. 

Even when that person 
was in adversity, he was 
always attached to him. 

He has discharged his 
duty in as base a man- 
ner as his friend. 

Socrates was as brave as 
he was wise. 

I may probably be able to 
send it you tomorrow. 



BAD FRENCH. 



81 



141. Vous ne parlez pas 
en, hommes qui enten- 
dez la langue. 

1 42. L'infinite des perfec- 
tions de Dieu m'ac- 
cablent. 

1 43. II est difficile de con- 
tenter. 

1 44. La ville dont je suis 
pres. 

145. II est difficile a bien 
ecrire. 

1 46. Quelque religion qu 'il 
ait embrassee. 

147. J'ai un jar din plus 
beau que vous. 

1 48. La trame de nos jours 
est plus d'd demifaite. 

149. Aussitdt que vous ay- 
ez recouvert la sante, 
venez me voir. 



You do not talk like men 
who understand the 
language. 

The infinite number of 
God's perfections as- 
tounds me. 

He is hard to please. 

The town I am near to. 
It is difficult to write well. 

Whatever religion he may- 
have embraced. 

I have a finer garden 
than you. 

The course of our life is 
more than half run. 

Come and see me as soon 
as your health is re- 
stored. 



150. La Bretonne admirable a pris gout a. mes vers, 
Douze fois Tan, sa plume en instruit Punivers; 
Elle a douze fois l'an, reponse de la notre, 
J3t nous nous encensons tous les mois Pun et Pautre. 



END OF THE TOUCHSTONK. 



KEY 

TO THE FOREGOING QUESTIONS. 



1. 

J'apprendrai le franqois en six mens, signifies : I 
shall be six months in learning the French language ; 
and j'apprendrai le franqois dans six mois, means that 
I shall begin to learn French in six months from the 
present time. 

2. 

X sounds as cs, in Alexandre, Mexique, and Xantippe. 
The first x in Xerxes sounds as cs, and the last as s. 
The x in Xavier has the sound of gz. X in Xenopkon 
is pronounced as cs, or as s ; and in Ximenes, as cs, 
s, or ch. 



The word organ may be rendered in French by 
Vorgue, or les orgues : the latter is most usual. This 
noun is masculine in the singular number, and femi- 
nine in the plural. 

4. 

Un honnete homme, is: an honest man ; and un homme 
honnete, a Civil or obliging man. 

5. 

The e in recors, retors, and remords, is guttural, 
The s in recors, retors, and mors; and the ds in 
remords, are silent before a word beginning with a 



84 KEY. 

consonant ; but before a vowel or h mute, the s is 
united as a z — except in the following sentence : 
prendre le mors aux dents, to run away (as a horse) ; 
in which the s of mors is silent. 



6. 

The infinitive of lissu, is lislre. This verb is used 
only in its compound tenses, which are formed with 
the auxiliary verb avoir. Tisser is now used instead 
of tistre ; but, having no participle, it borrows that of 
iistre, which is tissu. 

7. 

Ch is pronounced as a k, in all the words contained 
in Question 7. 



Un genlilhomme, is : a man nobly descended ; and un 
homme gentil, a genteel man. 

N. The / in genlilhomme is liquid. 



9. 

The t in assaut and defaut, is pronounced only 
when these words are immediately followed by an 
adjective beginning with a vowel or h mute. The / 
in haut, is never sounded, but when a substantive 
beginning with a vowel or h mute follows; and in the 
following expressions : regarder de haut en bas, to look 
upon with contempt ; haut a la main, with a high 
hand. The t of heraut, levraut, and saul, is in no 
case pronounced. In vaut and prevaut, the I is 
sounded before a word beginning with a vowel or 
k mute. 

10. 

The adjective feu is never varied when it precedes 
the article or possessive pronoun ; but when it comes 
after them, it admits the feminine termination. This 
word has no plural 



KEY. 85 

11. 

When the syllable de denotes privation, as is the 
case in the words deposseder, to dispossess, or deprive 
of possession ; denicher, to take from the nest, &c, 
the e has always the close sound, which is denoted by 
the acute accent. The e is close also when de comes 
from the latin : as, deposer, to depose ; from depo- 
nere ; denoncer, to denounce ; from denuntiare. The 
word denier, a penny ; from denarius ; is an excep- 
tion, the e here being guttural. 



12. 

Un galant homme, is a clever, well-bred man, a 
complete gentleman ; and un homme galant, a man 
who pays great attention to the ladies. Both these 
significations may be expressed by the word gallant 
in English, according to the position of the accent ; 
thus, un galant homme, is a gallant man, and un 
homme galant, a gallant man. 



13. 

The g in faubourg is mute. The g in bourg is 
pronounced as a c ; and the gs in legs is silent in 
the singular, even before a word beginning with a 
vowel or h mute. In the plural, the s is united to 
the succeeding vowel as a z : as, des legs impor- 
tans ; pronounce, des le-zimportans. 



14 

The adjectives mur, maigre, and vif, are placed after 
the noun when they are used in a literal sense, and 
before it when taken figuratively. Bon and pauvre 
follow the same rule. 



15. 

The y of the Verbs ending in oyer, oyer, and uyer, 
is changed into i, whenever it has not the value of 
two i's, in pronunciation ; or, in other words, when 
the y would be followed by an e mute ; therefore we 



86 KEY. 

write : je paie, j'emploie, j'essuie ; nous payons, Us 
emploient, Us essuient, tyc. 

N. The e of the future and conditional tenses of the verb 
employer, is sometimes left out ; and this suppression is indicated 
by a circumflex accent placed on the preceding i : as, femploirai, 
femploirois, fyc. 

16. 

The n of the nasal termination km, is never 
joined in pronunciation to the succeeding vowel. 
Pronounce, then : une erudition | immense ; and not, 
une eruditio-nimmense, fyc. 



17. 

L is silent, in Chaulnes, coutil, chenil, detail, fusil, 
nombril, outil, persil, pouts, sourcil, soul, Vesoul. 
Liquid, in ail, Bresil, ber'il, babil, betail, cil, deuil, 
Jenouil, gresil, mail, ceil, (pron. ceuil) ; orgueil, peril, 
pareil, reveil, sommeil, soleil, travail, vermeil. 

L, in the following words, has the same sound as at 
the beginning of a word : civil, exil, Jll, Nil, pueril, 
profit, subtil, vil, viril. 



18. 

When the verb savoir is used in the place of pou~ 
voir, to be able, it must never have more than one 
negative. 



19. 

Un homme pauvre is : a poor man ; and un pauvre 
homme, a man without genius or parts. 



20. 

Les planchers de cet appartement sont plafonnes ; 
mais Us sont trop bas, signifies : the ceilings of these 
rooms are plastered ; but they are too low. And, 
les planchers de ce logis ne sont que de plutre, the 
floors of this house are only of plaster. 



KEY. . 87 



21. 



// nefait que sortir, means : he does nothing but 
go out, or, he is constantly going out ; and, il nefait 
que de sortir, he is but just now gone out. 



The final t of accompagnement, adolescent, agrement, 
aliment, argent, argument, arpent, avent, continent, 
dent, convent, is silent even before a vowel or h mute. 

Sound the t in campement before a word beginning 
with a vowel or h mute, unless a short pause follow 
it ; for then it is silent, though followed by a vowel : 
as, Part du campement \ est twe des parties les plus 
essentielles d'un general. 



23. 

When quelque and chose are used together, they 
form, as it were, but one word, which is always of 
the masculine gender : as, quelque chose que je lui aie 
dit, je n'ai pu le convaincre, I could not convince him 
whatever I said. The noun chose standing alone, is 
of the feminine gender, and the adjective agrees with 
it accordingly : as, il lui a dit cent choses obligeantes, 
he said a hundred polite things to him. 



24. 

The nouns incendie, cimeliere, episode, ongle, and 
ttgumes, are of the masculine gender, though for- 
merly feminine. Horloge, atmosphere, and interligne, 
(a leaden or wooden distance used by printers) ; are 
of the feminine gender. Parafe, perigee, pantomime, 
pigmee, mausolee, genie, acte, globule, dialecte, Colisee, 
and interligne, (a space between two lines) ; are mas- 
culine. 



Un vilain homme : is a disagreeable man ; and 
homme vilain, a niggardly fellow. 

& 2 



88 KEY. 

26. 

The I of the verb appeler, to call, is doubled when 
the second syllable has a feminine termination ; that 
is, whenever the e which follows the p, has not the same 
sound as in the infinitive. In other words, we must 
never double the /, when it is followed by any other 
letter than e mute; thus we write : j'appelle, j'ap- 
pelois, j'appellerai, appele. The same is observable 
of the / in the verb atteler, to put the horses to; and 
the t in cacheter, to seal. 

27. 

The gn in agnus, incognito, and magnetisme, has 
the same liquid sound as in the word lorgnette, a 
spying-glass. In gnome, gnostiques, Progne, inex- 
pugnable, stagnant, igne, and regnicole, gn is pro- 
nounced hard, as in the English word malignant. 



28. 

The same adjective is sometimes placed before, 
and sometimes after the noun, as is most agreeable 
to the ear. If the adjective is less harmonious than 
its substantive, it generally comes first. If it is more 
harmonious, it follows it ; thus we say : 

Un homme juste, a just Un juste prix, a reasonable 



man. 



price. 



Une action juste, a just Une juste defense, a just 

action. ; defence. 

Une action basse, a mean A bos prix, at a low rate. 

action. 



Voila un portrait de ynoi, signifies : here is a portrait 
painted by me ; and voild mon portrait, here is my 
portrait. 

30. 

The names of kingdoms, provinces, and towns, 
coming after the prepositions en and de, take no 
article. The word Canada is an exception ; it re- 



KEY. 



89 



quires the article in every situation ; as is the case 
also with the following names of countries, &c. 



L Abruzze, Abruzzo. 
I 'Abissinie, Abyssinia. 
les Antilles, the Antilles 

(Caribbees). 
la Pouille, Apulia. 
I'Acadie, Acadia (Nova 

Scotia). 
le Bresil, Brasil. 
la Barbade, Barbadoes. 
le Pont-Euxin, the Black 



Cochin- 



Ca'ienne, 



la Cafrerie, Caffraria. 

la Chine, China. 

la Cochinchine, 
China. 

le Congo, Congo. 

la Cayenne, or 
Cayenne, 

le Chili, Chili. 

la Caroline, Carolina. 

la Dominique, Dominica. 

le Groenland, Greenland. 

la Guinee, Guinea. 

le Caire, Grand Cairo. 

la Guadeloupe, Guade- 
loupe. 

la Grenade, Granada. 

la Guiane, Guiana. 

la Havane, Havannah. 

I'Indostan, Hindostan. 

les Indes, India. 

la Jama'ique, Jamaica, 

le Japon, Japan. 

la Janna, or Janiah, Jan- 
na or Jannina. 

la Louisiane, Louisiana. 

le Levant, the Levant. 



le Manlouan, the dutchy 
of Mantua. 

le Milanez, or Milanois, 
the Milanese. 

la Martinique, Martinique. 

le Monomotapa, Monomo- 
tapa. 

le Mexique, Mexico. 

le Malabar, Malabar. 

le Maryland, Maryland. 

la Malaguette, Malaguette. 

leMonoemugi,Monoemagi. 

les Moluques, the Molucca 
Islands. 

le Mississipi, the Missi- 
sippi. 

la Mecque, Mecca. 

le Mogol, the Mogul em- 
pire. 

la Nigritie, Negroland. 

le Parmezan, the Parme- 
zan. 

le Pensylvanie, Pennsyl- 
vania. 

le Perou, Peru. 

le Paraguay, Paraguay. 

le Pegu, Pegu. 

le Peloponese, the Pelo- 
ponnesus. 

les Philippines, the Phi- 
lippine Islands. 

le Spilzberg, Spitzbergen, 

la Toscane, Tuscany. 

le Tonquin, Tonquin. 

le Thibet, Thibet, 

la Virginie, Virginia. 

le Zanguebar, Zanguebar. 



la haponie, Lapland, 

Districts in France and the Netherlands. 
L'Anjou. l'Alsace. la Bretagne. 

1'Artois. l'Angoumois. le Boulonoois, 

H 3 



90 



le Brabant, 
le Bazadois. 
le Bugey. 
la Champagne, 
le Cambresis. 
la Cote. 



KEY. 

le Cotentin. 
le Dauphine. 
la Gueldre. 
le Hainaut. 
le Languedoc. 
le Lauraguois. 



la Marche. 
le Maine, 
la Manche. 
la Normandie. 
la Picardie. 



La Haye, the Hague, (town of Holland) 
Towns in France and the Netherlands. 



L'Abergement. 
les Abrets. 
l'Aigle. 
les Aspres. 
la Bachelerie. 
la Balme. 
la Baroche. 
la Barre. 
le Blanc, 
le Bourg. 
le Catelet. 
la Capelle. 
la Charite. 



le Carlat. 
la Clayette. 
le Conquet. 
le Crotoy. 
le Donjon, 
la Fere, 
la Ferte. 
la Fleche. 
le Fossat. 
la Guerche. 
la Gatine. 
la Gravelle. 
la Grasse. 

31. 



la Guepie. 

la Guiolle. 

le Havre - de- 
Grace. 

la Hougue, or 
Hogue. 

la Jaudonniere. 

le Mans. 

le Puy. 

le Plessis. 

le Quesnoy. 

la Rochelle. 



Quelque, preceding a noun, -whether accompanied 
by que, or not, is an indefinite pronoun, or more 
properly an adjective, agreeing with that noun in 
number : as, 



Some writers have treated 

of that subject. 
Whatever wealth he may 



Quelques ecrivains ont 

traite ce sujet. 
Quelques richesses qu'il 

possede. 



Quelque, followed by an adjective, or adverb, 
becomes an adverb itself, and then remains, of course, 
invariable : as, 



Quelque savans qu'ils 

soient. 
Quelque richement meu- 

bUs que soient ces ap- 

partemens. 



However learned they 
may be. 

How richly soever these 
apartments are fur- 
nished. 



See 85. 



KEY. 



91 



32. 
Pronounce the following words according to the 
remarks annexed. 



ois, as 6a in 
French. 



Hibernois, 

Maltois, 

Japonois, 

Hongrois, 

Gaulois, 

Gallois, 

carquois, 

Saone, pronounce Sone. 

aoriste, pronounce oriste. 

affres, pronounce a, as 

in/ir. 
gedle, 1 Pronounce as .if 
s Ay \ spelled in Fr. 
° ' S j6le,jolier. 
emmener, first m as a 

nasal n. 



ennui, first n nasal. 
Nantois, ~\ 

Rouennois, >ois, as e in Fr. 
Caennois, ) 
Rome, o as in not. 
Sin, n as in English. 
Uunkerque, un as on nasal. 
Abruzze, zz as ss. 
aimable, last a as in ask. 
fade, 
il a, 
cave, 
bague, 
volage 
hommage, 



as in ask. 



33. 

Un brave homme is : an honest man, a gentleman 
and un homme brave, a courageous man. 



34. 

In this sentence : le peu a" exactitude que j'ai trouve 
dans cet ouvrage, the participle trouve very properly 
agrees with peu, in the masculine singular ; for we 
find, on examining the sense, that it cannot agree 
with exactitude, because no exactness is found in the 
work. But in the following phrase : le peu de nonnes 
quej'ai vues, the participle agrees with nonnes, as we 
may here very well speak of nuns seen ; the noun 
nonnes, therefore, is the direct object. 

35. 

The final s of Jesus, may either be pronounced, or 
dropped. In Christ, both the s and the t are sounded. 
Jesus-Christ and Antechrist, are pronounced as if 
spelled in French : Jesu-Cri, Ante-Cri ; except when 
they precede a word beginning with a vowel or h 
mute, for then the final t is sounded. 



92 KEY. 



77 se hue soi-meme, means : he praises his own 
person ; and il se hue lui-meme, he is his own trumpe- 
ter. 

37. 

Quelque chose, employed as a single word, is of the 
masculine gender, and requires the adjective or parti- 
ciple to agree with it accordingly. When it is immedi- 
ately followed by an adjective, the latter must be pie- 
ced by the preposition de : as, 

Je trouve quelque chose de I find his style rather 
guinde dans son style. bombastic. 

In the same manner rien is followed by de, when an 
adjective succeeds : as il n 'y a rien de si laid, there is 
nothing so ugly. 

38. 



H6tel-Dieu. Hdtels-Dieu. 

Fele-Dieu. Fetes-Dieu. 

garde-marine. gardes-marine. 

bain-Marie. bains-Marie, 

pie-grieche. pies-grieches. 

franc-allcu. francs-alleux. 

chef -lieu. chefs-lieux, 

casse-noisette. casse - noisette, or 

casse-noisettes. 
chasse-mouche. chasse-mouche, or 

chasse-mouches. 
vasislas. vasistas. 

39. 

Ilfaut que celui qui parle se mette a la poriee de ceux 
qui I'ecoutent, signifies : he who speaks must confine 
himself within the reach of the understanding of 
those who listen to him; and il faut que celui que 
parle se mette a poriee de ceux qui I'ecoutent, he who 
speaks must place himself within the hearing of those 
who listen to him. 



KEY. 93 

40. 

The adjective chdtain is indeclinable, when it is 
qualified by another adjective coming after it. 

41. 

The final t of dont, mont, and of the termination 
ont in verbs, is silent before a word beginning with a 
consonant ; but when a vowel or h mute follows, 
it is united to it in pronunciation — example : 

Pronounce, 
Les heros dont il tire son origine. don-til. 

Le mont Parnasse. mon Parnasse. 

Le mont Olympe. mon-tOtympe. 

lis sont d Paris. son-td Paris. 

The t in pont is never sounded : except before 
some proper names, as : 

A Pronounce, 

Le pont aux Anes. pon-taux. 

Le pont-d-Mousson. pon-td. 

Le pont-aux-Choux. pon-taux. 

42. 

In sentences containing two propositions, the second 
of which is qualified by the first, we must use ce with 
the verb etre, at the beginning of the second member 
or proposition ; and not il, Us, elle, elles : as, 

Penser, c'est vivre. To think, is to live. 

Je connois M. F. ; c'est un I know Mr. F. ; he is an 
honnete homme. honest man. 

Penser avec liberie, sentir Liberty of thought, de- 

avec delicatesse, agir licacy of feeling, and 

avec courage, c'est le boldness of action, are 

partage de I' homme* proper to man. 

43. 

The final s of secours, recours, and rebours, is silent 
before a word beginning with a consonant, but 
joined as a z to the next word beginning with a 
vowel or h mute. 



94 KEY. 

44. 

Prenez garde de tomber, signifies : take care not to 
fall ; and prenez garde a tomber, take care to fall. 

45. 

The participle mi, signifying half, or mid, when 
prefixed with a hyphen to the word carhne, lent ; or 
to the months of the year, obliges them to take the 
feminine article : as, la mi-careme, mid-lent ; la mi- 
Aout, the middle of August ; la mi-Mai, the middle 
of May, &c. 

46. 
The h of the proper names Hongrie and Hollande, 
is mute in the following examples ; and the e of the 
preposition consequently retrenched : 

Eau de la reine d' Hongrie. Hungary water. 

JJufromage d' Hollande. Dutch cheese. 

De la porcelaine d 'Hoi- Fine Dutch ware. 

lande. 

Be la toile d' Hollande. Holland (cloth). 

Du vin d'Hongrie. Hungarian wine. 

Demi- Hollande. Gulick, or Isingham 
Holland. 

In the two following examples the h is aspirate : 
Du point de Hongrie. Hungarian lace. 

Je viens de Hollande. I come from Holland. 

47. 
Both these sentences : j'aurois fait votre affaire si 
vous m'en aviez parle, and j'eussefait votre affaire, si 
votes m'en eussiez parle, are englished by : I would have 
done that business for you if you had spoken to me. 
But there is a shade of difference in their applica- 
tion, in French. J'aurois fait, refers more particularly 
to the time when the business would have been under- 
taken ; and j'eussefait, to the actual performance of 
it. J'aurois fait votre affaire si vous m'en aviez parle, 
might therefore be rendered in English by : I would 



KEY. 



95 



have engaged to do that business for you, if you 
had spoken to me about it ; and j'eusse fait votre 
affaire si vous m'en eussiez parle, that business would 
have been done by me, if you had mentioned it to me. 



48. 

The c in broc is silent before a word beginning 
with a consonant; but pronounced at the end of a 
sentence, or before a word beginning with a vowel 
or h mute : as 

Pronounce, 
Vider un broc. Brok. 

Un broc de vin. Bro de vin. 

De brie et de broc. De bri-ket de brok. 

Un broc en vidange. Un bro-ken vidange. 

The c in croc, and the z in riz, are silent before a 
word beginning with a consonant, and at the end of a 
sentence ; but sounded before a vowel or h mute ; 
except in : du riz a, la puree, in which the z is mute. 



49. 

We write Chi/pre or Chipre in modern geography ; 
but when the thing related refers to ancient geo- 
graphy, we spell the word, Cypre. 



50. 

Pronounce the following words according to the 
annexed explanation. 



Schisme, sch, as sh in 


English 




architecte, 


ch, as sh in 


English. 




opium, -J 


£ opiomme. 


Te Beum, 


.5 TeDeomme. 


factotum, 


§ factoton. 


decorum, 


\ decor on. 


junle, 


Z jonte. 


gageure, 


3 gajure. 


pallium, 


a pallion. 


factum, 


£ facton. 



g hard, as 
in the 
English 
word 

repugnant. 



agnat, 
agnation, 
diagnostique, 
cognat, 
inexpugnable : 
cognation, 
magnetisme, gn is liquid, 
though formerly hard. 
fouet, as if spelled foi. 
Us chantent, a as in father, 
asthme, \ th not 

asthmatique, ) sounded. 



96 KEY. 

casser,^ Empedocle, \ wnotnasal< 

passer, \a, as vajatner. Agamemnon, J 

casse, 3 rassasier, the last * as 

encoignure, i is mute. a z. 

fosse, o as in wrote. baguenauder, the first a, 

raptf, p and t both sound- as in ask. 
ed. 

51. 
Z7m homme cruel, unefemme cruelle, signifies : a cruel 
man, or woman ; and un cruel homme, une cruelle 
femme, an inexorable, or fastidious man, or woman. 

52. 

The final t of the nouns : agonisant, aimant, aspirant, 
assaillant, and baltant, is in no case pronounced. 

53. 

Entre quatre yeux, is pronounced enire qualre-s-yeux ; 
the s being introduced to soften the sound. 

54. 
The I in gentilhomme, has a liquid sound like gl 
in the word seraglio. The plural geniilshommes, is 
pronounced gentizomme. 

65. 
The imperfect tense, and not the preterit, is used in 
French, in the following cases : 

(a.) When in a narration, we speak of the inclinations 
and qualifications of deceased people ; or of the 
inherent and distinctive quality of things no longer 
existing ; as, 

Louis quatorze etoit un Louis the fourteenth was 

grand homme, el passoit a great man, and was 

pour un bon roi. looked upon as a good 
king. 

Carthage faisoit un pro- Carthage carried on a 

digieux commerce par le prodigious trade, by 

moyen de ses vaisseaux, means of her ships, 

qui alloient jusqu'aux which went as far as 

Indes. the Indies. 



KEY. 97 

(b) To express an action that was present, or doing, at 
the time of another action that is past, whether the first 
of these relate to persons dead, or still living. The 
imperfect partakes, in this case, both of the present 
and preterit tense, and hence derives its name : as, 

Je soupois quand il est I was supping* when he 

arrive, (or quand il ar- arrived. 

riva, or quand il arrivoit). 

Mon oncle etoit a Londres My uncle was in London 

du temps de la revoke. at the time of the re- 
bellion. 

Ma sceur etoit belle dans My sister was handsome 

sa jeunesse ; ou avant in her youth ; or before 

d 'avoir eu la petite verole. she had the small-pox. 

(c) When we speak of actions of habit, or of actions 
repeated at a time not precisely defined : as, 

Quand j'etois a Paris, When I was in Paris, I 

j ' allois souvent me often went and took a 

promener dans le jar din walk in the botanic 

des plantes. garden. 

(d) When the preposition if precedes a verb attended 
by the conditional tense, either going before, or 
coming after it : as, 

Si elle etoit plus aimable, If she had more agreeable 

elle trouveroit bientot un manners, she would 

mart. soon find a husband. 

Jeferois le voyage de Rome I would take a trip to 

si j 'etois plus jeune. Rome if I were younger. 

(e) When the verb expressing an action that is past, 
is preceded by the preposition si, if, and another 
verb follows in the same tense : as, 

Si j'ayois envie de m'en If I longed for an explan- 

eclaircir, elle n'en avoit ation, she was no less 

pas moins de savoir qui desirous of knowing 

j 'etois. who I was. 

• * When an action that is past is expressed in English by the 
active participle, joined to the verb to le, as in this example, it is 
invariably rendered in French by the imperfect of the indicative. 

I 



98 KEY. 

56. 

Manquer de faire une chose, signifies : to fail to do 
a thing ; and manquer a faire une chose, to forget to do 
a thing- : as, il ne manquera pas de venir, he will not 
fail to come ; j'ai manque a vous dire une chose, I have 
forgotten to tell you one thing. 



57. 

When two imperatives are connected by a conjunc- 
tion copulative, the latter of them requires the pro- 
noun to precede, and not follow it : as, 

Prenez~le, et le donnez d Take it, and give it to 

votrefrere. your brother. 

* Sortez-le de I'ecurie, et Lead him out of the sta- 
le promenez. hie, and walk him. 

* Asseyez cet enfant, et Set down this child, and 
ltd donnez sonjouet. give it its rattle. 

JEmportez-le, et le jetez Take him away, and cast 
dans les tenebres de him into outer dark- 

dehors. ness. 

58. 
When the pronoun Je follows a verb ending in e 
guttural, this vowel must be changed into e close, by 
placing the acute accent over it : as, parle-je ? do I 
speak? etudie-je? do I study? But asje placed after 
some verbs would produce a harsh and disagreeable 
sound, the question must, in such cases, be asked in 
another manner ; and instead of romps-je ? mens-je ? 
sens-je ? dors-je ? cours-je ? ris-je ? perds-je ? we 
must say : est ce que je romps ? or trouvez-vous que je 
rompe ? and so of the rest. 



The final s in Adonis, Anubis, and all the rest of 
the words contained in Question 59, is pronounced 

* Sortir, promoter, and asscoir, though neuter verbs, are some- 
times used actively, as in these examples. Monter, and remonter, 
have likewise often an active signification . as, montez tout cela dant 
ma chambre, carry up all this into my room ; remontex voire montrc, 
wind up your watch. 



KEY. 99 

with the hissing articulation, as in the word ascension : 
except before a word beginning with a vowel or h 
mute, where the s sounds as a z, and must be united 
to that word in pronunciation. 

60. 

With nouns, &c. denoting time, the pronoun it is 
always rendered by il, and not by ce : as, 

// est midi et demi. It is half past twelve (at 

noon). 
// est temps 4e partir. It is time to set out. 

6L 

X has the sound of cs, in borax, larynx, sphinx, 
syrinx, prefix, Ajax, and Pollux : except before a 
word beginning with a vowel or h mute ; for then it 
is united to the next word as a z. In deuxietne, the x 
sounds as a z. Dom Quixotte (Don Quixote), is pro- 
nounced Don Ghishott; but this word is now more 
usually spelled in French, Quichotte* 



Unjurieux animal, is : a huge animal ; and un animal 
furieux, a fierce animal. 

The last letter of the ten following monosyllables, 
is retrenched before a word beginning with a vowel : 
ce, de, je, le, la, me, ne, que, se, te. The i of the 
conjunction si, is retrenched only before the personal 
pronouns il and Us. The adverb si, in the sense of 
yet, keeps its i, even before il and Us : as, il est tres- 
savant, et si il est modeste, he is very learned, and 
yet he is modest. 

64. 

The g of the termination ger, in verbs ; as, alleger , 
&c, is pronounced as a j ; therefore to preserve this 
sound throughout the conjugation, we must insert an 
e after the g, where it wouM be followed by an a or 



100 KEY. 

an o ,• since otherwise these last letters would change 
the sound of g, from a soft to a hard pronunciation. 
Write, then : Us allegent, j'allegeois, j'allegeai, fyc. 

65. 

Qu in the following words, is pronounced as if 
spelled in French, cou ; but it makes only one syllable 
with the a that follows it : 

Aqicatique. quadruple, 

equateur. quadragesime. 

equation. quaere, or quaker. 

liquation. quaterne. 

in quarto. quadrangulaire. 

quadragenaire. quadrupede. 
quadrature, (in geometry) quadratrice. 

Qu in the subsequent words, sounds like cu in 
French, and forms but one syllable with the following 
vowel. 

/ 

Equestre. liquefaction, 

equiangle. a quia, 

equidistant. quinquagenaire.\ second 

equilateral. quinquagesime. fquascou. 

quinquerce. quintuple, 

quirinales. questeur. 

quinquereme. questure. 

quinquennium . ubiquiste. 

Qu in quadrat, and in quadrahtre (clock-work), is 
pronounced as a k. 

66. 

When the adverb tout precedes an adjective femi- 
nine, beginning with a consonant or h aspirate, either 
in the singular or plural number, it agrees with that 
adjective in gender and number, as it becomes in this 
case an adjective itself, retaining however its adver- 
bial signification. 

67. 

The t of the verb jeter, must be doubled in those 
persons where the second syllable ends in c mute, or 



KEY. 



101 



has a feminine termination ; we must therefore write : 
je jette, je jetois, il jeta, je jetterai, que je jettc, qu'il, 
jetdt, je jetterois, jetant, jete, fyc. 

68. 

line femme grosse, signifies : a pregnant woman, 
and une grosse femme, a big, fat woman. 

69- 

The final vowel of entre is retrenched only when 
this word enters into the composition of other words : 
as, s'entr' aider, to help one another; s'entr' excuser, 
to excuse one another; s'entr' accoler, to embrace one 
another, &c. 

70. 

In compound substantives, the plural form must be 
given to such simple word or words composing them, 
as the sense points out to be susceptible of it, without 
regard to the entire word. In the noun passe-partout, 
it is plain that neither the verb passe, nor the adverb 
partout can admit of an s, because the plurality falls 
on a word which is understood, namely clef. The same 
remark will apply to essuie-main, and chausse-pied ; 
the word linge being understood in the former ; and 
in the latter the instrument used. For this reason, it 
is more proper to write : des abat-jour, des boute-feu, 
des hors-d'oeuvre ; than des abat-jours, des boute-feux, 
des hors-d'oeuvres. All the words, therefore, contained 
in Question 70, must be spelled in the same manner 
in the plural as in the singular number. 

71. 

Je dinerai aujourd'hui en ville, signifies : I shall 
dine out to-day ; that is, not at home; and, je dinerai 
aujourd'hui dans la ville, I shall dine in the town to- 
day, and not in the country. 

72. 

The noun delice is of the masculine gender, in the 
singular number ; and feminine in the plural : as, un 
grand delice, de grandes delices. 
i3 



102 KEY. 

73. 

The r of ether is always sounded. Leger is pro- 
nounced lege ; except before a substantive commencing 
with a vowel or h mute ; for then the r is sounded, 
and joined to it in pronunciation. The final r of 
etranger, menager, mensonger, messager, oreiller, pas- 
sager, pecker, potager, rocher, semper, verger, viager, 
is in no case pronounced. 

74. 

A pair of bellows (a bellows'), is expressed by : un 
soufflet ; and, a pair of breeches or small-clothes, by : 
une culotte, or un haut-de-chausse ; and not by : une 
paire de culottes. 



75. 

When the adjective or participle is preceded by a 
noun, as in : il y eut cent homines tues, and other simi- 
lar phrases, the preposition de is omitted. But when 
the noun is not expressed, but only understood, de 
must be joined to the adjective : as, il y en eut deux 
cents de blesses, two hundred of them were wounded. 



76. 

Sound the final c of bloc, choc, escroc, froc, roc, 
troc, soc, cstoc ; and the q in coq. In accroc and bloc 
dc marbre, the final c is silent. 



77. 

The adverb tout is invariable before an adjective in 
the masculine plural ; and also when it is followed by 
another adverb ; being used in the latter case merely 
as an expletive, to give greater force to the expression. 



78. 

Une nouvelle certaine, signifies : authentic news ; 
and une certaine nouvelle, a certain piece of news, re- 
quiring confirmation. 



KEY. 103 

79. 

When the second person singular of the imperative 
mood ends in e mute, and is followed by the pronoun 
y or en, an s is added to the verb for sound's sake : as, 
portes-y, carry there. The verb alter, to go, takes 
also an euphonic s in the same person. The other 
sentences are translated as follows : 

Donnes-en. Vas-y. 

Je vous les y enverrai. Consider -e en quel etat je 
Va-t'en, (not va-t-eri). me trouve. 

Mene-nous-y. Menes-y moi. 

Transportes-y toi. Condnisez-moi la* 
II ne nousy en auroit pas II vous y en enverra. 

envoye. Ne lui en donne pas. 

Envoyez-nous y. Cherche un lime. 

80. 

The letters of the alphabet, the notes in music, the 
names of the ciphers, and all words which (not being 
substantives) are used substantively, remain unaltered 
in the plural ; therefore we say : des quand, des com- 
ment, des que, deux a, trois b, deux re, trois mi, 
deux neuf, trois quatre, fyc. 

81. 

The subjunctive is used when the sentence has a 
negative meaning; and the indicative when it is affirm- 
ative. When I say : Madame Recamier est la plus 
belle dame que je connoisse, the sense is negative, 
being equivalent to : je ne connois pas line plus belle 
dame que Madame Recamier. But in the other exam- 
ple : Madame Recamier est la plus belle des dames que 
je connois, the sense is affirmative, and implies : I do 
know women who are less handsome than Madame 
Recamier ; consequently the verb is in the indicative. 

82. 

The ambiguity in this phrase: elles sont toutes 
soidagees, which signifies, they are all relieved; as well 

* Couduisez-moi Id, is here put instead of conduisez-y moi, to avoid 
the repetition of the buzzing 30und of z in two consecutive syllables. 



104 KT£Y. 

as, they are much relieved, may be obviated by ex- 
pressing the former sense thus : toutes sont soulagees. 



Pronounce the words : Claude, second, vermicelle, 
violoncelle, as if spelled in French : Glaude, segond, 
vermichelle, violonchelle. 

84. 

The final t of brillant, calmant, and all the other 
nouns contained in Question 84, is in every case 
silent. But when any of these words are adjectives, 
or active participles, the t is sounded before a word 
beginning with a vowel or h mute, and united with it 
in pronunciation. 

85. 

Quelque, followed by a substantive, agrees with it iu 
number, whether that substantive is succeeded by an 
adjective, or not : as, 

Quelques pieces divert is- Whatever amusing plays 
santes qu'on represente. are acted. 

But when quelque precedes an adjective, it becomes 
an adverb, and is therefore invariable, whether a 
substantive follows the adjective, or not : as, 

Quelque belles actions Whatever great actions he 
qu'il aitjaitcs. has performed. 

In the first of the foregoing sentences, quelques 
modifies the noun pieces, and might, therefore, more 
properly be termed an adjective, than an indefinite 
pronoun. The latter example is equivalent to : quelque 
belles que soient les actions qu'il aitfaites. Quelque is 
then in this case an adverb, however the sentence 
may be expressed, and is consequently indeclinable. 



Un grand homme, is : a great man ; and tin hommc 
grand, a tall man. 



KEY. 105 



87. 



Gui, in aiguiere, aiguieree, and Guillauvie, is pro- 
nounced as gui in the word guinea. In aiguillade, 
aiguille, aiguillee, aiguillette, aiguilletier, aiguillier, 
aiguillon, aiguillonner, aiguiser, aiguisement, Guise ; 
gut sounds groee. The //, in such of the preceding 
words as have it, has the liquid articulation. 



88. 

We say : il est arrive avant nous, and not devant 
nous, or aupar avant nous ; because avant is used to 
denote order in point of time, and devant, as to place. 
The adverb auparavant can never be put before a 
noun or pronoun, it being always used alone. 



89. 

The preterit tense is employed in French, when 
the action past, neither has been, nor can be inter- 
rupted ; but is so completely done and ended, that 
nothing remains of the time wherein it was doing. Its 
principle use is, therefore, in historical relations, where 
it is often accompanied by an adverb, or adverbial 
phrase, specifying the time when the action or event 
took place : as, 

Nous n 'eumes point d'ete We had no summer last 
I'annee derniere. year. 

Le roi de Suede arriva de- The king of Sweden ar- 
vant Varsovie le 5 Mai, rived before Warsaw 
1702. A la premiere on the 5th May, 1702. 
sommation les portes ltd The gates of the city 
furent ouvertes ; il ren- were thrown open to 
voya la garnison Polo- him on the first sum- 
noise, congedia la garde mons; he sent away the 
bourgeoise, etablit par- Polish garrison, dis- 
tout des corps-de-garde, missed the city-guards, 
et ordonna aux habitans established guard-hou- 
de venir remettre toutes ses in every part, and 
leurs armes. ordered the inhabitants 
to come and deliver up 
all their arms. 



106 1LEY. 

90. 

Je ne me doutois pas qu'il vint, signifies : I did not 
suspect that he would come ; and je me doutois qu 'il 
viendroit, I suspected he would come. 

91. 

The following adjectives, which had formerly no 
masculine plural, now conform to the general rule, 
by forming their plural in aux ; except pascal, which 
makes pascals : 

Canonial. Devoirs canoniaux, canonical duties. 

Conjugal. Droits conjugaux, conjugal eights. 

Litteral. Commentaires litteraux, literal com- 
mentaries. 

Nasal. Sons nasatix, nasal sounds. 

Nuptial. Rites nuptiaux, nuptial rites. 

Pascal. Cierges pascals, pascal tapers. 

Pastoral. Jeux pastoraux, pastoral games. 

Pectoral. Fruits pectoraux, pectoral fruit. 

Special. Fails speciaux, special facts. 

Trivial. Termes triviaux, trivial terms. 

Venal. Offices venaux, venal offices. 

Total is used substantively, and makes totaux : as, 
la somme des totaux, the aggregate amount. In other 
cases it has no plural. — The adjective^ora?/.r is used 
only in the plural : as, les jeux jhraux, floralia, or 
the games of Flora. 

92. 

The s of gens, is pronounced at the end of a s^- 
tence. Before a word beginning with a vowel or h 
mute it has the value of a z. In every other situa- 
tion it is silent. The final s of suspens is mute; ex- 
cept before a vowel, or h not sounded, where it is pro- 
nounced as a z. 

93. 

The word some, expressed or understood, before 
an adjective followed by a plural noun, is rendered 
in French by de : as, 

Voire frere a de bonnes Your brother has some 
nouvclks a vous donnsr. good news to tell you. 



KEY. 107 

i7 a de tres-beaux fruits He has very fine fruit in 
dans son jardin. his garden. 

But when the adjective and substantive are consi- 
dered as forming together but one word, the former 
must be preceded by des, and not by de : as, 

J'ai vu des petits-maitres I have seen some very 

fort malhonnetes. rude sparks. 

J'ai mange des petits- I have eaten some petty- 

pates. patees. 

Je connois des Jeunes gens I know some very agree- 

tres-aimables. able young men. 

Voild de» beaux esprits. Those are great geniuses. 

94. 

22 a sorti, signifies : he has been out ; and il est sorli, 
he is gone out. II a demeure d. Paris, he has lived in 
Paris; and il est demeure a Paris, he is still living in 
Paris. 

95. 

Foudre is feminine in its literal sense, and mascu- 
line when used figuratively ; thus, we say : il fut 
frappe de la foudre, he was struck by a thunderbolt; 
I'eclat de la foudre, the report of thunder — un foudre 
de guerre, a warlike general, dreaded by his enemies ; 
c'est un foudre d' eloquence, he is a great orator. 
Also, van foudre, a large tun. 

Notwithstanding, when an epithet is added to 
foudre, or when it is in the plural number, either 
gender may be assigned to it : as, le foudre vengeur, or 
lafoudre vengeresse, vindictive thunder, 

(Euvre. (See 332) 

Leltre, prison, and ordonnanee, admit of a mascu- 
line adjective in the following ancient expressions 
only : lettres royaux, letters patent ; prisons royaux, 
the king's bench prison; ordonnanCes royaux, royal 
ordinances. 

96. 
The following words are frequently mispronounced. 
The only difficulty they offer*- is explained in the an- 
nexed remarks : 



108 



KEY. 



Humbert, urn, as on nasal. 
Munster, un, as on nasal. 
Young, oun, as on nasal. 
manne, 
Jacques, 
Jlamme, 
basse, 
chdsse, 
classe, 
echasses, 
grasse, 
lasse, 
masse, 
passe, 
fasse, 
tasse, 
aimasse, 



amasser, 

delasse, 

tambour, 



a, as in father. 



o, as in note. 



as in not. 



oignon, i is mute. 

endosse, 

desosse, 

grosse, 

drole, 

lobe, 

aurore, "\ 

globe, > o, as in lord. 

evapore,) 

voler, ) 

tope ! J °> 

roide, ~\ in conversation 

roideur, >pr. rede, redeur, 

roidir, J redir. In sublime 
discourse, pronounce 
the oi as above, or as 
6a in French. 

croitre, oi, as 6a. 

automne, pron. autonne. 

quanquan, qu, asa k. 

quanquam, pron. kouan- 
kouan in Fr. 

post-scriptum, pron. pos- 
scriptomme. 

97. 

Un enfant cruel, is a hard-hearted child ; and un 
cruel etifant, a rude> tiresome child. 

98. 
When the pronoun le refers to a noun, or to yin 
adjective taken substantively, which is the same thing, 
it agrees with it in gender and number : as, 



second a, as 
father. 



} 



as a nasal n. 



campagne, 

ecole, o, as in not. 



Are you the sick person 
mentioned to me, 
? — Yes. T am. 



Madame, etes-vous la ma- 
lade dont on m'a parle ? 
— Out, je la suis. Ma'am ? — Yes : 

Here la refers to, and stands for, la maladc. 

But when le has reference to an adjective, or to a 
substantive taken adjectively, it is invariable : as, 

Madame, etes-iw ma- 
ladc ? — Our, jc lc suis. 



Are you sick, Ma'am ? — 
Yes, I am. 



KEY. 109 

Thus, le is employed when the sense would admit of 
cela being put in its stead ; and la (which stands for 
elle) when the noun might be repeated. 

N. A noun used without article, as in : etes-vous mere? 
is considered as belonging to the class of adjectives. 



Proper names taken literally, do not admit of a 
plural termination ; hence we say : les Alexandre, les 
deux Corneille, les Pascal, Sfc. When they are used 
metaphorically, to characterize the talents of any per- 
son, they take an * as the sign of the plural : as, 

lis sont les Alexandres de They are the Alexanders 
leur siecle. of their age. 

Les Molieres sont morts The Molieres have disap- 
pour long temps. peared for a long time. 

Les Pascals so?it rares. The Pascals are scarce. 

See 307. 

100. 

The s of anis, bis (brown), cadis, and commis, is in 
every case silent. The e in brebis is guttural, and 
the * silent : except before a word beginning with a 
vowel or k mute, where it must be united as a z. The 
t in bandit, and conflit, is always mute. In deficit, and 
rit, the t is sounded in every case. 

101. 

The final e of the feminine adjective grande, is re- 
trenched, and an apostrophe put in its place, before 
the following words : 

Grand' chambre, best ca- Grand' peine, great trou- 

bin. ble. 

Grand' chere, good cheer. Grand'peur, great fright. 

Grand' chose, great thing. Grand' pitie, great pity. 

Grand' croix, great cross. Grand' rue, main street. 

Grand' garde, main guard. Grand' sal le, palace-hall. 

Grand* m$re, grandmo- Grand' soif, gveaX thirst. 

ther. Grand' tante, grand aunt. 



Grand' messe, high mass. 



110 KEY. 

This elision is indispensable in the word grand' 
mere only. 

When grande is preceded by the indefinite article, 
it must never be curtailed : as, line grande chambre, 
Sfc. — except in : une grand' mere. 

102. 

The g in doigt is silent, and the t sounded only 
before a word beginning with a vowel or h mute. 
The t of adjoint, appoint, embonpoint, and joint, is in 
no case sounded ; nor in poi?it, a point, or a stitch : 
except in these two expressions : point et virgule, a 
semicolon ; de point en point, precisely. The t of the 
negative point, is always united to a succeeding vowel. 

103. 

The verb savoir requires but one negative, when an 
uncertainty of the mind is implied ; but when the 
sense denotes a full and entire ignorance of the thing, 
it must have two. In this sentence : je ne sais si 
vous me comprenez, the person speaking entertains a 
doubt about his meaning being understood ; but, 
il ne sait pas que le courrier est arrive, implies a positive 
ignorance of the arrival of the post ; consequently 
two negatives are employed. 

104. 

Paon, faon, Laon, taon, Caen, are pronounced as if 
spelled, in French : pan, Jan, Lan, ton, Can. These 
words are never united to a succeeding vowel ; ex- 
cept in the plural, where the s is joined as a z. 

105. 

The following is a list of the words in which h is 
aspirated. In words derived from these, h has the 
same value. 

Ha ! ha ! hagard, fierce. 

hableur, romancer. haie, hedge. 

hache, hatchet. haillon, rag. 

hactiis, hash. haine, hatred. 



KEY. 



Ill 



haire, hair- cloth. 

halbran, young wild-duck. 

hale, drying wind. 

hanap, clumsy drinking 
cup. 

haleter, to pant. 

kallier, thicket. 

halle, market-hall. 

hallebarde, halberd. 

halte, halt. 

kamac, hammock. 

Hambourg, Hamburg. 

hameau, hamlet. 

hampe, staff (of a halberd). 

hanche, haunch. 

hanneton, May-bug. 

Hanse Teutonique, Teu- 
tonic Hanse. 

kanter, to frequent. 

kaquet, dray. 

happer, to snap. 

haquenee, ambling nag. 

Hainaut, Hainault. 

harangue, speech. 

haras, stud. 

haubert, coat of mail. 

harasser, to harass. 

harceler, to tease. 

hordes, clothes. 

hardi, bold. 

hareng, herring. 

hargneux, snarlish. 

haricot, kidney-bean. 

haridelle, jade. 

harnois, harness. 

hare ! there ! 

haro, hue and cry. 

harpe, harp. 
harpie, shrew. 
harpon, harpoon. 
hart, band of a fagot. 
hasard, hazard. 
hase, a doe -hare. 
hate, haste. 



haubans, shrouds. 
hausse-col, neck-piece. 
haut, high. 
hautbois, hautboy. 
haute-conlre, counter-te- 
nor. 
have, pale. 
kavre, haven. 
havre-sac, knapsack. 
he ! eh ! hoe ! 
heaume, helmet. 
hem ! hem ! 
heler, to hail a ship 
hennir, to neigh. 
Henriade, Hettriade. 
heraut, herald. 
here, poor wretch. 
herisser, to stand on an 

end. 
herisson, hedge-hog. 
hernie, rupture. 
hiros, hero's. 
heron, heron. 
hetre, beech-tree. 
herse, harrow. 
huppe, tufted. 
hure, wild boar's head, 
heurter, to knock. 
hibou, owl. 
hie, — e'est id le hie, there's 

the rub. 
hideux, hideous. 
hie, paviour's rammer. 
hierarchie, hierarchy. 
hisser, to hoist. 
hobereau, hobby, (bird) 
hoc, — cela m' 'est hoc , I am 

sure of it. 
hoche, notch. 
hocher, to jog. 
hochet, child's coral. 
hold ! ho ! there. 
Hollande, Holland. 
hongre, gelding. 
% 



112 KEY. 

Hongrie, Hungary. houri, houri. 

honni, disgraced. houspilkr, to pull and 

honte, shame. haul. 

houssard,'\ housse, horse-cloth. 

housard, Vhussar. houssine, switch. 

hussard, ) houret, bad hound. 

koquet, hiccough, hickup. houx, holly. 

hoqueton, cassock. huche, kneading-trough. 

horde, clan. hue ! gee ho ! 

horion, great blow. hoyau, mattock. 

hormis, except. huee, hooting. 

hors, out. hurler, to howl. 

hotte, scuttle. Huguenot, Huguenot. 

houe, hoe. huit, eight. 

houblon, hops. hutte, hut. 

houlette, crook. Hutin, — Louis le Huiin. 

houppe, puff. hune, scuttle of a mast. 

hourder, to rough-work. homard, lobster. 

houppelande, riding-coat. Hesse, (town in Germany). 

The definite article le, la, (which becomes I' before a vowel 
or h mute), is never curtailed before any of the preceding words. 
Nor is the indefinite article une retrenched, either before these, 
or before a word beginning with a vowel or h mute : as, une 
hache, an axe ; tine ecaille, a shell ; une heure, an hour, &c. 
In English the reverse seems to take place, the definite article 
remaining unretrenched in every case, while the indefinite article 
a, is changed into an before a vowel or h mute ; as, an egg, an 
honour, <§-e. — From this last rule are excepted those cases where 
the indefinite article is followed by a word, the initial vowel 
of which is u, sounded long, which being a sort of semi-conso- 
nant, does not require the euphonic n before it ; for we say : 
a unitarian, a useful book, a humorous description, Qc. On the 
other hand, a becomes an, even before an h aspirate, whenever 
the accent is on the second syllable ; as, an historian, an huzza, 
an hysteric fit, an humane treatment, an harmonious sound, an 
fteroic action, an habitual conversation, Qc. 

H is aspirate in French, in nearly one half of the words 
beginning with that letter, in the language — The few words in 
which h is mute in English, are comprised in the following 
short list : heir, heiress, honest, honesty, honour, honourable, 
herb, herbage, hospital, hostler, hour, humble, humour, humorous, 
humorsome. 

106. 
H is aspirated, in : chat-huant, enhardir, rehausser, 
s'aheurter, enharnacher ; it being a general rule to 
sound the h in the middle of compound words, when 



KEY. 



113 



that letter is aspirated at the beginning of the primi- 
tives. — The only exception is the word exhausser, to 
raise ; derived from liaut, high. 

107. 

Example, is masculine when it signifies : a pattern 
or model ; as, un exemple de vertu, a model or pattern 
of virtue ; but when it signifies : a copy to write or 
draw by ; it may be either masculine or feminine, 
though the latter gender is generally preferred. 

Hymne, is feminine when it means a hymn, such 
as is sung in churches : as, entonner une hymne, to 
lead off a hymn. In its other significations it is 
masculine : as, V hymne de Ceres (m), the hymn of 
Ceres, &c. 

Loutre, is feminine ,• except when it signifies a 
beaver hat, which is : un loutre. 

108. 

Some grammarians pretend that some, preceding 
an adjective followed by a substantive in the singular 
number, may be expressed by de, or du, as most 
agreeable to the ear. There is, however, a difference 
of meaning between them. When I say : donnez-mdi 
de bon papier, I express myself in a more general and 
unrestricted sense, than when I say : donnez-moi du 
bon papier. By the first I merely ask for a quantity 
of paper which is good, without reference to any 
particular paper ; whereas by : donnez-moi du bon 
papier, I allude to some paper I have seen, or have a 
knowledge of. It is nearly as if I said in English : 
give me some of the good paper, contrasting it with 
paper of a worst quality, which I know to exist. It 
is in this last sense, then, that we always say : voild 
de la bonne philosophic, that is sound philosophy j voild 
de la bonne poesie, here is some genuine poetry. 

It appears, therefore, from this explanation, that 
we may either say : de bon temps, or du bon temps, 
but not without regard to the sense. 

109. 
X sounds as ss, in : Auxerre, Auxonne, St. Maixent, 
Cadix, Bruxelles, soixante, soixantieme, Aix, Luxeuil, 

r 3 



114 KEY. 

Uxell, or Uxelles, Flexelle, La Xaintonge, Xaintes. 
The four last are now usually spelled : Ussel, Fles- 
seles, La Sainlonge, Saintes. The second x in Xerxes, 
sounds as ss. X, in phenix and Styx, is pronounced 
as cs. 

110. 

The final t of dot, is sounded in every situation, 
both in the singular and plural. The t in mot, is pro- 
nounced only before a vowel or h mute. The t in sot, 
is sounded before a vowel or h mute, and generally 
in all other situations : — except before a substantive 
beginning with a consonant, where it is silent. 

111. 

Mademoiselle tie marche pas droit, signifies : the 
young lady does not walk straight forward ; and 
Mademoiselle ne marche pas droite, the young lady 
does not walk upright. 

112. 
Quelque, followed by a verb, must be written in two 
words, the first of which agrees in number and gen- 
der with the noun or pronoun to which it refers : as, 

J'estime cette personne, I esteem that person 

quelle qu'elle soit. whoever he (or she) is. 

Quels que soient les Whatever men are, we 

homines, il faut vivre must live with them. 
avec eux. 

When quelque precedes a cardinal number, it signi- 
fies about, or some ; and, being here an adverb, is of 
course indeclinable : as, 

J'ai compU quelque cin- I counted about (some) 
k quante chevaux. fifty horses. 

A quelque cent pas d'ici You will find that garden 
vous trouverex cejardin. about a hundred paces 

from hence. 

113. 
The x in dix, is silent before a consonant, or h aspi- 
rate. Before a vowel or h mute, it sounds as a z. 



KEY. 115 

At the end of a sentence, or before a pause, or when 
it is a substantive, it is pronounced as ss ; we must 
therefore pronounce dix personnes, dix hommes,je vous 
en donnerai dix, and mi dix de pique, as if written : 
di personnes, di-zotnmes, je vous en donnerai disse, tin 
disse de pique. In words compounded with dix, x 
sounds as ss, before a consonant, or h aspirate ; ex- 
ample : dix-sept, dix-huit, dix-neuf — pronounce : diss- 
sept, diss-huit, diss-neuf. 

114. 

Words borrowed from foreign languages, without 
changing their original termination, undergo no alter- 
ation in the plural ; and we write, in both numbers : 
Avi, or AvS-Maria, alinea, auto-da-fe, aparte", alibi, 
alleluia, accessit, duo, duplicata, et-caitera, errata, exeat., 
ergo, factotum, item, in-folio, impromptu, or in-promptu, 
in-quarto, in-octavo, libera, mezzo-iermine, mezzo-tinto, 
oremus, pater, quiproquo, quatuor, trio, Te Deum, zero. 
We say also : in-douze, in-seize, in dix-huit, in vingt- 
quatre, both in the singular and plural. 

Acacia and opera, may be considered as exceptions ; 
being, as it were, naturalized, or completely adopted 
in the language. They take an * in the plural. 

NumSro, makes in the plural : nmniros, or numiro. 

We sometimes write factoton, instead of factotum, 
in which case an s is added for the plural : factotons. 

115. 

Many adjectives being absolute, or expressing in 
themselves a superlative idea, do not admit of the 
comparative or superlative form being superadded ; 
such are : mortel, immortel, parfait, universel, iternel, 
essentiel, divin, immense, supreme. 

116. 

Une femme honnite, is a polite woman ; and une 
honnete femme, a chaste woman. 

117. 

The final ier, in the names of ti'ades ; as, barbier, 
cordonnier, fermier, Sfc. ; and in the names of animals ; 



116 



KEY, 



as, sanglier, belkr, fyc. ; is always pronounced aa ie" ; 
whether followed by a consonant, or a vowel. 



118. 

The verb ignorer, followed by the conjunction que, 
governs the next verb in the indicative in negative 
sentences, and in the subjunctive in affirmative ones. 



119. 

B, before s and t, is pronounced as a p ; example : 
absent, observer, obtenir — pronounce : apsent, opserver, 
optenir. 



-sound both t's. 



Addition, sound both d's. 
atlique, \ t 
atticisme, V 
annales, sound both n's. 
anarchie, ch, as sh. 
appellation, pron. both I's. 
arguiie, tie, as cie. 
amid, ct mute. 
anabaptiste, p mute. 



anabaptismeA 

baptistere, ) r 

baptismal, sound the p. 

baccalaureal, sound both 
the c's. 

ennemi, pron. enemi, Fr. 

pignoraiif, gn, as in re- 
pugnant. 

tombac, sound the c. 



120. 

Imaginer, signifies : to conceive or invent; and s'ima- 
giner, to fancy, or picture to one's-self. The former 
is never followed by que, or by an infinitive ; but 
s'imaginer may be attended by que, by a noun, an 
infinitive, or by any incidental proposition ; example : 



On ne peut rien imaginer 
de plus surprenant. 

lis'' imagine itre un grand 
docteur. 



Nothing more surprising 
can be imagined. 

He fancies himself a 
great doctor. 



121. 

The / of the termination eil, is always liquid, like // 
in merveille. It keeps this liquid articulation also 
before a vowel or Zr mute, with which it must be 
united in pronunciation. 



KEY. 117 



122. 



Furieux, preceding a noun, signifies : huge or enor- 
mous ; but when it follows it, it means, furious. Un 
furieux poisson, is therefore : a fish of an enormous 
size ; and un lion furieux, a furious lion. 



When two or more nouns of different genders and 
numbers, or of different genders only, have an adjec- 
tive or participle common to both, it agrees in gender 
and number with the last : as, 

2/ trouva les etangs et les He found the ponds and 

rivieres glacees. rivers frozen. 

Jl avoit la bouche et les His mouth and eyes 

yeux ouverts. were open. 

But if there is one, or many words between the last 
noun and the adjective or participle, that adjective or 
participle common to all, must be in the plural num- 
ber and masculine gender, though the last noun be 
feminine : as, 

L'etang et la riviere etoient The pond and the river 

glaces. were frozen. 

Les Hangs el les rivieres The ponds and rivers 

qu'il trouva glaces. which he found frozen. 

Le travail, la conduite, et Pains, conduct, and for- 

la fortune, joints ensem- tune, joined together. 

Me. 

In the last example, joints is put in the masculine 
plural, on account of the word ensemble, which pre- 
sents a whole. 

124. 

The final r of : acier, altier, avetiturier, atelier, 
armurier, banquier, bouclier, baudrier, brasier, cour- 
sier, courrier, chevalier, cavalier, and canonnier, is in 
every situation silent. 

125. 

The final e of presque must never be retrenched 
before the next vowel — except in the compound 



118 KEY. 

presqu'ile, a peninsula. Write, therefore: presque 
aussi grand, presque acheve, fyc. 

126. 

The p in sept is silent. The t is pronounced before 
a word beginning with a vowel or h mute, and at the 
end of a sentence ; but it is always mute before a 
consonant ; being then pronounced se. Sound the p 
in septante ; and also in eep, both before a consonant, 
and a vowel: except in cep de vigne, where it is silent. 
Ps, in ceps, fetters, is dropped ; but the * must be 
united as a z, to a succeeding vowel. 

127. 

Pronounce the following words according to the 
explanation annexed : 

A'ieul, ~\ chceur, "i , 

faience, >a, a3 in ask. Charon, J ' 

pa'ien, ) curiosile, ) 

Milhaul, "» Ik, as the generosite,) 

Pardalhac,) liquid 11. jambon, m, as a nasal n. 

Nully,~\„ y ., mode, o, as in not. 

Sully, j ^ ' catechisme, ch, as sh. 

millet, 11 liquid. quolibet, quol sounds hoi. 

millesime, sound both ll's, symptome, p sounded, and 

but not liquid. the masa nasal n. 

tillac, 11 liquid, and the c tranquille, 11 not liquid. 

sounded. 

128. 

Une sage-femme, is : a midwife ; and unefemme sage, 
a sober, discreet woman. 

129. 

Personne, attended by the negation we, or used 
alone, in interrogative sentences, is an indeterminate 
pronoun, and always of the masculine gender. — When 
it is a noun, it is feminine, and requires the adjective 
or participle to agree with it in gender and number : 
as, cette personne est tres-retenue , this person is very 
reserved. 



as a k. 

, as a z. 



KEY. 119 

130. 

The m in nom, parfum, Adam, Absalom ; and the n 
in Salomon, have a nasal sound. The m in hem! item, 
Ibrahim, Selim, Matusalem, and Stockholm, is pro- 
nounced as in English. 

181. 
J'aime mieux V etude que le jeu, signifies ; I would 
rather study than play ; and j ' aime plus V etude que 
le jeu, I am more attached to study, than to play. 

132. 

The plural of ceil, in its literal sense, is yeux ; and 
in a figurative sense, ceils ; write therefore : ceils de 
boeuf. — Ail makes aulx. 

133. 
The d in froid, is mute before a word beginning 
with a consonant ; but when the next word begins 
with a vowel or h mute, it is united to it as a t. 
The d in poids, is in every case silent; and the s 
is sounded only in the plural, before a vowel or h 
mute, having the value of a z. F is mute in soif; 
except before a vowel or h mute, where it is pro- 
nounced as a v. 

134. 

Ycompris, and non compris, coming before the noun, 
are invariable, being then used adverbially. When 
they follow the noun, they agree with it in gender 
and number, like all other participles. 

135. 

The following adjectives in al, have no masculine 
plural : amical, adverbial, austral, automnal, boreal, co- 
lossal, fatal, final, frugal, glacial, ideal, filial, natal, 
naval, oral. 



The final n of the following words is nasal, and 
never united, in pronunciation, to the succeeding 



120 KEY. 

word : acadimicien, chien, bien (property), chirurgien, 
chretien, entretien, grammairien, historien, lien, main- 
tien, le mien, le tien, musicien, paten, paroissien. 



137. 

Ce, and not il, is used with etre, whenever the 
sense would admit of cela being substituted for the 
pronoun : as, 

C , itoit ban autrefois. It was formerly good. 

C 'est ce queje pensois. It is what I thought. 

C'est honnete de sa part. It is very kind of him. 



138. 

The final t in : aspect, respect, and suspect, as 
well as in most other words having the same ending, 
is silent both before a consonant and a vowel. Sound 
the c, in the singular ; and unite it as a k, to a suc- 
ceeding vowel or h mute : as, I'air infect des prisons ; 
tin aspect imprevu — pronounce : I'air infec des prisons ; 
un aspe-kimprevu. 

In the plural, both the c and the t are mute before 
a consonant, and the stress of the voice is laid on the 
last syllable : as, des respects prqfonds ; des hommes 
suspects ; pronounce : des respe prqfonds; des hommes 
suspe. Before a vowel or h mute, the c must be 
sounded, and the s united as a z — example : des 
hommes suspects & Vet at ; pronounce : des hommes sus- 
pik-za Vital. 

139. 

Le vin nouveau, is : new made wine ; and le nouveau 
vin, wine just broached. De nouveaux livres, signifies: 
different books from those one is in possession of, or 
has just read ; and des livres nouveaux, books which 
have but lately been published. 

140. 

Sound the p in cap, Gap, jalap, julep, and hanap ; 
and both the p and the s, in laps, and relaps. 



KEY. 



121 



141. 

The different sounds of birds, and cries of animals, 
are expressed as follows : 



Le lion rugit. 
Ualouette grisolle. 
L'aigle trompete. 
Les abeilles, les bourdons, 

les mouches, les hanne- 

tons, bourdonnent. 
L'ane brait. 
Le bozuf et la vache 

beuglent ou meuglent. 
La colombe, le pigeon, et 

la tourterelle, gemissent 

ou roucoulent. 
Le coq chante. 
Le coq coqueline. 
Le ckien aboie. 
Le chien hurle. 
Les petits chiens jappent, 

ou glapissent. 
Le cerf brame. 
Le chat miaule. 
Le ckatjile. 

Le cheval hennit.(jpr.hatiit) 
La cigogne craquete. 

Le corbeau croasse. 
La chevrette brame. 
Le cochon de lait crie. 
Le dindon glouglote (glou- 

gloute). 
Le daim brame, 

L 'elephant barete. 
La grenouille coasse. 
Le hibou hue. 
L'hirondelle gazouille. 

Le jars jargonne. 
Le hup hurle. 
Le li&vre crie. 



The lion roars. 

The lark sings. 

The eagle caws. 

The bees, drones, flies, 
cock- chafers, hum or 
buzz. 

The ass brays. 

The ox and the cow bel- 
low or low. 

The dove, pigeon, and 
turtle-dove, coo. 

The cock crows. 
The cock chucks or calls. 
The dog barks. 
The dog howls or yells. 
The whelps or puppies 
•fcyelp. 
The hart (stag) bejleth. 
The cat mews. 
The cat purrs. 
The horse neighs. 
The stork crackles or 

snaps. 
The raven caws. 
The roe or doe brays. 
The sucking-pig squeaks. 
The turkey gargles or 

cackles. 
The buck growns or 

troats. 
The elephant roars. 
The frog croaks. 
The owl hoots. 
The swallow twitters or 

chatters. 
The gander cackles. 
The wolf howls. 
The hare beats or taps. 



122 



KEY. 



Le mangouse coasse. 

Le jnouton et la brebis 

belent. * 
Le merle siffle. 
L'oie siffle et caquete. 

La poule glousse. 
La poule caquete. 
Le pinsonfrigote. 
Les poulets piaulent. 

Le paon braille ou criaille. 

La perdrix cacable ou ca- 

bare. 
Le perroquet parle. 
La pie caquete. 
Le pourceau grogne. 
Le rossignol gringotte. 

Le renard glapit. 
Le serpent siffle. 
Le tigre rauque. 
Le taureau mugit. 
Les oiseaux chantent et 
gazouillent. 



The ichneumon shrieks. 
The sheep bleats. 

The blackbird whistles. 
The goose' hisses and 

cackles. 
The hen clucks. 
The hen cackles. 
The chaffinch sings. 
The chickens scream or 

squeak. 
The peacock screams or 

squalls. 
The partridge' jucks. 

The parrot talks. 

The magpie chatters. 

The hog grunts. 

The nightingale warbles 

or sings. 
The fox barks or yelps. 
The serpent hisses. 
The tiger roars. 
The bull bellows or roars. 
The birds sing and chirp. 



142. 
The g of the termination ourg, in the names of 
towns ; as, Augsbourg, Brandebourg, Edimbourg, 
Fribourg, Hambourg, Petersbourg, Strasbourg, fyc. , 
is in very case silent. 

143. 

Oublier kfaire une chose, signifies : to forget how to 
do a thing that one could formerly do ; and oublier de 
faire une chose, to forget or neglect doing a thing. 



144. 
The p in drap, galop, and sirop, is in every situa- 
tion silent. The p in trop, is mute before a word be- 
ginning with a consonant; but sounded before a 
vowel or h mute. Sound both the p and the s, in 
Ops and Pelops. 



KEY. 123 



145. 



When two or more substantives in the singular 
number follow the verb etre, preceded by ce, this 
verb must be put in the singular : as, c'est le vin 
et le jeu qui I'ont mine, drinking and gaming have 
ruined him. But if those nouns are in the plural, the 
verb must be in the plural likewise : as, ce sont les 
Jemmes et les enfans qui font tant de bruit, it is the 
women and children that make so great a noise. 

146. 

Z), in the termination ord, is never sounded. When 
a word beginning with a vowel or h mute follows, the 
r is united to it in pronunciation : as, 

Pronounce, 
Un accord universel. Un acco-r-universel. 

D'abord il s'introduisit D'abo-r-il, fyc. 

dans son cabinet. 
Un lord anglois. Un lo-r-anglois. 

Custom has made an exception to this rule, in the 
words : Nord-est, and Nord-ouest, which are pronounc- 
ed, Nor-d-est, and Nor-d'ouest. 



147. 

Route-en-train, brise-glace, and all the other words 
contained in Question 147, remain the same in the 
plural as in the singular. 

148. 

Le bois mort, signifies : dead trees, or such as no 
longer vegetate ; and le mort bois, brushwood. 

149. 

Rum is pronounced as the English word room. 
Rumb is pronounced romb (the m nasal, and the b 
sounded ). The n of un, loses its nasal sound before 
a noun beginning with a vowel or h mute, and also 
in : fun et V autre. In both these instances the n is 
united, in pronunciation, to the next word: as, un ami, 
L 2 



124 KEY. 

un hole; pronounce : u-nami, u-n6te. In all other situ- 
ations the n is nasal, and never joined to the follow- 
ing word. 

150. 

Une couple de pigeons, signifies : a couple of pigeons 
for eating; and une paire de pigeons, a pair of pigeons 
alive, and paired together. 



151. 

Distinguer de, signifies : to point out the shades of 
difference that exist between two things analagous : 
as, distinguons la sensation du sentiment, let us make a 
distinction between sensation and feeling. Distinguer 
d'avec, means to distinguish from one another two 
things that appear to be similar, but which, in reality, 
have very different qualities : as, distinguer la fausse 
monnoie d'avec la bonne, to distinguish bad money 
from good. 

152. 

The stress of the voice is laid on the first syllable 
of corridor, and the last o sounds as in lord. The 
final r of this, and all other words in or, is sounded ; 
and is united to the next word, if it begin with a 
vowel or h mute: as, de Vor en barre ; pronounce, 
de Vo-r-en barre. 



153. 

Prier quelqu'un a diner, and prier quelqu'un de diner, 
both signify : to invite one to dine ; but prier a diner, 
implies a formal or express invitation ; whereas prier 
de diner, is said of a sudden and accidental one — 
example : 

III' a envoye prier a diner. He has sent to invite him 
to dinner. 

Je me suis trouve chez ltd I was at his house just as 
comme il alloit se mettre he was sitting down to 
a table, et ihn'a prie de dinner, and he invited 

diner avec ltd. me to dine with him. 



KEY. 



12- 



154. 

X is pronounced as gz, in : exicrable, exil, exhumer, 
exhausser, exhorter, examen, and exercice. 



155. 

Sound the c in talc. The m in Adam, dam, and 
quidam, is pronounced as a nasal n, and never united 
to a succeeding vowel. In Abraham, Siam, Roterdam, 
Amsterdam, Priam, and Ephra'im, the final m sounds 
as in English. 

156. 

Chasser le lievre, signifies : to hunt, or pursue a 
hare ; and, chasser au lievre, to hunt for hares. 



157. 

Aimer mieux is followed by que, when a preference 
of taste is implied ; and by que de, when that prefer- 
ence denotes merely an effect of the will. 

158. 

The chief adjectives which form their feminine in 
an irregular manner, are the following : 



MASCULINE. 


FEMININE. 


MASCULINE. 


FEMININE. 


Benin, 


benign e. 


grec, 


grecque, or 


b6ni ( blessed ), 


benie. 




greque. 


benit (conse- 


benite. 


malin, 


maligne. 
publique. 


crated ), 




public, 


caduc, 


caduque. 


sec, 


seche. 


doux, 


douce. 


traitre, 


traitresse. 


frais, 


Jraiche. 


tiers, 


tierce. 


favori, 


favorite. 


turc, 


turque. 



159. 

Qu, in Quintilien and Quinte-Curce, maybe sounded 
either as a k, or as cu ; the latter pronunciation seems 
preferable. Pronounce qu as a k, in Sixte-quint, and 
Charles-quint. 

l3 



126 KEY. 

160. 

T is in every case silent in : bigot, abricot, ballot 
billot, fagot, cahot, gigot, goulot, grelot, javelot, lot 
paquebot, pivot, brulot. 

161. 

Un nouvel habit, is : a different coat from that just 
worn ; un habit nouveau, is : a new fashioned coat ; 
and un habit neuf, a new coat, or one that has been 
scarcely worn at all. 

162. 

J' apprehendequ'iln arrive. I am afraid he will arrive. 

Je n' apprehende pas qu'il I am not afraid that he. 

arrive. will arrive. 

J' apprehende qu 'il n arrive I am afraid he will not 

pas. arrive. 

N ' apprehendez-vous pas Are you not afraid lest he 

qu'il li 'arrive? should arrive ? 

Je n' apprehende pas quil I am not afraid that he 

n' arrive pas. will not arrive. 

163. 

The final ier in : sentier, amandier, cafier ; and in all 
the other names of fruit-trees, is pronounced, in all 
cases, as the French ie. 

164. 

Fort, before a word beginning with a consonant, 
is pronouncedybr, in all its acceptations. When fort 
is an adjective, the t is silent before a vowel or h 
mute; unless a substantive immediately follows it, 
when it must be united : as, unfort argument ; pro- 
nounce, un for-targument. Sound the t of the adverb 
fort, before a vowel or h mute, and unite it to the 
following word. When fort is a substantive, the t is 
never sounded: as, un fort inexpugnable ; pronounce, 
un fo-r-inexpugnable. 

165. 

When the collective nouns partitive: la moitie, 1c 
tiers, les irois quarts, $c. express a jwsitive quantity, 



KEY. 127 

they are termed partitive nouns determinate, and come 
under the rule of collective nouns general, which re- 
quire the verb to agree with them in the singular 
number, though followed by a plural noun; unless 
they are themselves in the plural : as, 

La moitie des ennemis de- Half of the enemy de- 

serta. serted. 

Les trois quarts die chateau Three fourths of the cas- 

furent brules. tie were burnt. 

Sometimes a determinate number is employed for 
an indeterminate one. In this case, the above nouns 
keep to the rule of collective nouns partitive : as, 

La moitie des habitans One half of the inhabi- 
sont fous. tants are fools. 

166. 

The final t of : ciment, contrevent, element, engoue- 
ment, enjouement, and entetement, is never sounded. 
The t in compliment, is pronounced only before an ad~ 
jective beginning with a vowel or h mute. 



167. 

The past participles of repaitre, resoudre (to turn 
into), and traire, are repu, resous, and trait Issu, 
comes from issir, which infinitive is now obsolete. 



168. 

Ce is idiomatically used instead of il, when we 
mean to point out an object with greater precision : 
as, e'est aujourd'hui lundi, to-day is Monday ; e'est 
demain I'anniversaire de la naissance du roi, to-morrow 
is the anniversary of the king's birthday. 

169. 

Ce paraveni ne vous sert de rien, means : this folding- 
screen is of no use to you ; and ce paravent ne vous 
sert a rien, you make no use of this folding-screen. 



128 KEY. 

170. 

The final r of dernier, and entier, is silent before a 
word beginning with a consonant, but pronounced 
before a vowel or k mute, and united to it in pronun- 
ciation. The r in Jier is always sounded. In ecolier, 
Jamilier, grenier, grossier, the r is in no case pro- 
nounced. 

171. 

The adverb lout, immediately preceding a noun, 
either of the masculine or feminine gender, is invari- 
able. — In the following example it is declined, because 
the word Jemme is taken adjectively : toute Jemme 
qu'elle est, though she is a woman. 



172. 

G is mute, in : sig?iet, Regnard, Regnaud, and Clugny. 



173. 

The final r of the following words, is in no case 
pronounced : guerrier, heritier, ouvrier, hospitalier, 
officier, huissier, meurtrier, laurier, manufacturier, pa- 
pier, prisonnier, particular. 

174. 

The noun gens, signifying persons or people, is of 
the masculine gender when the adjective follows it, 
and feminine when it comes before it ; unless it is 
the adjective tout which precedes it, for then it is 
always masculine : as, tons les gens de hien ; tons les 
honneles gens. 

175. 

Duche-pairie, and aulomne, are of both genders, 
though the masculine seems likely to predominate. 
Garde, a guard, is masculine when a single person 
is meant : as, un garde national, a citizen soldier ; 
but when it signifies a company, it is feminine : as, 
la garde natiouale, the national guard. 



KEY. 129 

176. 

The c in arc and arc-en-ciel, is always sounded ; but 
mute, in : arc-de-triomphe, arc-boutant, and arc-bouter. 

177. 

Aider quelqu'un, signifies : to assist a person, with- 
out actually partaking of his labour ; and aider a 
quelqu'un, to help a person, by taking part of his 
work off his hands : as, 

// Va aide <l payer $es He helped him to pay 

dettes. his debts. 

II lui a aide d porter ce He helped him to carry 
fardeau. that load. 

178. 

Theg in long, is mute before a word beginning with 
a consonant, and at the end of a sentence ; but when 
a vowel follows, it is united as a k — example : un 
champ long et etroit ; pronounce, lon-ket etroit. The t 
in affront, and front, is in every case silent. 

179. 

Comment is used to describe the manner in which a 
thing is actually performed ; as, voyez comment il 
travaille, see in what way, or by what means he does 
the work. We employ comme in speaking ironically : 
as, comme il travaille ! which implies that he does not 
work at all, or does not work as he ought. 

180. 

Etre en campagne, signifies : to be on a journey, or 
on the move ; and when A it is said of troops, it means : 
to be on the march. Etre a la campagne, signifies : 
to be in the country. 

181. 

Gua in : lingual, la Guadaloupe, and la Guadiane, 
is pronounced as if spelled goua, in French. 



130 KEY. 

182. 
Pronounce the final t in patient, before a word be- 
ginning with a vowel or h mute, and unite it. When 
this word is a substantive, signifying : a criminal or 
malefactor, the t is always mute. The t of the fol- 
lowing words is in no case sounded : penitent, present 
(subs.), president, ralliement, regent, regiment, sergent, 
serpent, talent, trident. 

183. 
When cher precedes the noun, it denotes affection : 
as, mon cher ami, my dear friend — except in this 
expression : une chere annee, which signifies : a year 
in which corn is dearer than usual. Cher coming 
after the noun, signifies : dear in price : as, un livre 
cher, a dear book. 

184. 

Cette dame a I' air fier, signifies : this lady has a 
proud look ; and cette dame a I'air fiere, this lady 
has the appearance of being a proud woman. In the 
last example j'zere agrees with the noun dame under- 
stood, as appears by supplying the ellipsis : cette 
dame a I'air d'etre une dame Jiere. 

185. 
Sound the r in : Jupiter, Lucifer, Luther, magister, 
and f rater, in every situation. 

186. 
J exj)ect that he will come, is rendered by : je m'at- 
lends qu'il viendra ; and, do not expect that I will do it, 
by : ne vous altendcz pas queje le iasse. 

187. 
A collective noun partitive, followed by a noun 
plural, governs the verb in the plural, because it 
depends on the following noun, from which it bor- 
rows all its import, and with which it forms, as it 
were, a compound word : as, 

Un petit nombre d'amis lui A small number of friends 
resterent attaches. remained attached to 

him. 



KEY. 131 

N. Collective nouns partitive are such as express 
a multitude, but considered only as making part of a 
whole : as, la plupart des membres, most of the mem- 
bers, &c. 

188. 
P, in coup and beaucoup, is sounded only before a 
word beginning with a vowel or h mute. When 
beaucoup ends a sentence, the accent or stress of the 
voice is laid on the last syllable ; but on the first 
syllable in every other situation. The p in loup is 
never pronounced. In the plural, the s is united as a 
z, to the next word beginning with a vowel or h mute : 
as, des loups affames ; pronounce, des lou-zaffames. 

189. 

Unefausse porte, is : a private door — in fortification, 
a postern ; and ufie porte fausse, a sham door. 

190. 

B in plomj), is always silent ; and the m, which is 
sounded as a nasal n, must never be joined to the 
succeeding vowel. The p and t in prompt, are mute ; 
and the m is pronounced as a nasal n. But when a 
word beginning with a vowel or h mute follows, the t 
must be united with it in pronunciation. In the 
plural, the t is silent, and the s joined to the succeed- 
ing vowel as a z — example: prompts a deliberer ; 
pronounce, pron-za-deliberer. Pt, in the verbs inter- 
rompt, rompt, and corrompt, is in every cage silent, and 
the m sounds as a nasal n. 

191. 

In asking a question, the verb that follows certifier, 
is put in the indicative when the interrogator knows 
that the thing is not so : as, puis-je certifier que cela 
est ? But when he doubts, himself, whether it be so, 
or not, the subjunctive is employed : as, puis-je cer- 
tifier que cela soit ? 

192. 

Ck in almanack, is silent before a consonant ; but 
pronounced feebly at the end of a sentence as a k. 



132 KEY. 

It sounds also as a A; before a vowel ; example : un 
almanack interessant ; pronounce, un almana-kint6- 
ressant. Lacs is pronounced Id or lasse ; but before 
a vowel or h mute the cs sounds as a z. 



193. 

Quand and lorsque are often indiscriminately used 
to signify when. Quand is, however, more properly 
employed to denote time, and lorsque, occasion : as, 

// faut travailler quand We must work while we 
on estjeune. are young. 

On sefait aimer lorsqu'ow It is by loving we make 
aime. ourselves beloved. 

N. In asking a question, quand must always be 
used, and not lorsque. 

194. 

The word ais is pronounced es or e, that is, the s 
sounded, or not. S in jais, is in every case silent : 
as, le jais est un fossile ; pronounce : le jai est un 
fossile. Ais or ai, in je sais or sal, is pronounced as 
a close e ; that is, as if spelled je se. Sound the I 
in fait, in every situation. 

195. 

Je crains qu'il ne vienne, signifies : I fear he will 
come ; and, je crains qu'il ne vienne pas, I fear he 
will not come. 

196. 

When two or more nouns are so nearly related in 
sense, as to form as it were but one idea, the verb 
in French is frequently put in the singular ; as, 

L'homme et la femme est Men and women are frail 
chose bien fragile. creatures. 

Here homme and femme are considered as conveying 
but one idea, or as forming but one subject, equivalent 
to the word mankind. 



KEY. 133 

In the following sentence : une pdleur de dif alliance, 
une sueur froide, se repand sur tons ses membres, a 
deadly paleness, a cold sweat, pervade his limbs, the 
verb is also put in the singular, though the nouns 
pdleur and sueur differ widely in sense ; because there 
are here two distinct propositions, to each of which the 
verb est belongs ; though it is expressed only in the 
latter member, there being an ellipsis of the first est, 
by which an unnecessary repetition is avoided. 

But this sentence : le bien et le mal sont en ses 
mains, could not be divided into two distinct propo- 
sitions, admitting the verb after each, without altering 
the sense; because the words bien and mal axe repre- 
sented as existing together in his hands ; and as both 
these nouns equally affect the verb, they govern it 
in the plural. 

197. 

Sound the s of mceurs, in every situation. The d in 
nozud is always mute. 

198. 

It, joined to the verb to be, in the second member 
of a sentence, where an adjective follows, unaccompa- 
nied by a noun, must be rendered by il, or elle, and 
not by ce : as, 

J'ai lu le Conte du Ton- I have read the Tale of a 

neau ; il, est assez sati- Tub; it is very satirical. 
rique. 

J'ai r envoy e la perruque ; I have returned the wig ; 

elle etoit trop grande. it was too large. 

199. 

The adverb tout, before an adjective feminine be- 
ginning with a vowel or h mute, in the singular or 
plural number, is invariable ; but before a consonant 
or h aspirate it is declined as an adjective. See 
Solution 66. 



Sound the c in bac, sac, lac, and kamac. In estomac 
and tabac, the c is mute. The 11 in tiUac has the 
liquid articulation, and the c is sounded. 

M 



134 KEY. 

Pronounce the c of all the foregoing words as a h t 
when followed by a vowel or h mute ■ as, du tabac 
en poudre — pronounce, du taba-ke?i poudre, fyc* 

201. 

Un komme plaisant, is : a good, merry, facetious fel- 
low ; and un plaisant homme, a ridiculous and imper- 
tinent fellow. 



Ck has the sound of sk, in arckeveque ; but in archi- 
Spiscopal and archiepiscopat it sounds like a k. 

203. 

Nu and demi are invariable when they precede a 
noun ; but declined when they come after it. 

204. 
Sound the c in public, irafic, and all other words 
ending in ic, before a word beginning with a conso- 
nant ; and unite it as a Ho a vowel or h mute. 
The word eric, an engine for lifting, is an exception ; 
the final c being never pronounced. Cric, a dagger, 
and cric~crac ! crick ! follow the general rule. 

205. 
When the noun that follows the verb etre, is pre- 
ceded by an article ; or when etre is followed by an 
article and an adjective only, the pronoun must be 
rendered by ce, and not by il : as, 

C'est une chose Men fa- It is a very sad thing. 

cheuse. 

C'est la plus belle rue de It is the finest street in 

la ville. the town. 

Etoit-ce les dragons qui Was it the dragoons who 

ne vouloient obeir ? would not obey ? 

206. 
Emporler le prix, signifies : to win a prize ; and 
remporter le prix, to carry the prize, or bear away 
the bell. 



KEY. 135 

207. 
The t in apparat,forgat, and grabat, is never sounded. 
In fat and mat, it is always pronounced. T in chat, 
is silent ; except when it is immediately followed by 
an adjective beginning with a vowel or h mute ; ex- 
ample : le chat et lechien; chat exterminateur — pro- 
nounce : le cha et le chien ; cha-texterminateur. 

208. 

See Solution 199. 



Sound the final f in ablatif, re'citatif, and all other 
words ending in if, before a consonant ; and pro- 
nounce that letter as a v, before a vowel or h mute. 
The only exception is the noun baillif, in which f is 
invariably silent ; indeed this word is now generally 
written without the f. 

210. 

Un air grand, signifies : a noble aspect ; and tin 
grand air, a looking big, or an aping of greatness. 

211. 

When the pronoun il, elle, or on, follows a verb in 
the third persoa singular, ending in a or c, at is 
inserted between the verb and the pronoun,.for sound's 
sake : as, que fera-t-elle ? d quoi pense-t-il ? .que de- 
mande-t-on ? 

212. 
Z, when pronounced at the end of a word, has the 
sound of s ; as in : Fez, Booz, Rodez, and Senez. 
In Rez and Seez it is mute ; as also in Vivarez, now 
more commonly spelled Vivarois. 



In thisr sentence : cettefemme n 'est pas aussi savante 
queje I'avois imagine, the participle imagine is put in 
the masculine singular ; because it it is not the woman 
that is imagined, but the learning that was imagined 
in the woman. In : combien de gloire il a acquise ! 
M 2 



136 KEY. 

gloire is evidently the direct object, it being the thing 
acquired; the participle therefore agrees with it in 
gender. 

214. 

E guttural is equivalent in sound to the e in the 
English word over. It occurs in monosyllables, and in 
a great number of other words in daily use ; such as, 
benet, besogne, besoin, brebis, brevet, chernin, cheminee, 
chemise, ckenil, cheville, chevron, debout, demain, demande, 
depuis, dessous, dessus, devers, Jenetre, fenouil, genou, 
grelot, grenier, grenouille, guenon, jeter, legon, levain, 
lever, mener, peler, peser, petit, premier, quenouille, que- 
relle, rebellion, rebours, receler, recette, recoin, recon- 
noissant, recours, refrain, refus, regard, rejet, relache', 
relais, relaxation, relief, remede, remords, remuer, renon- 
ciation, repas, repentir, repos, ressort, retard, retenue, 
retors, revers, second, secouer, secours, secret, secre- 
tariat, semer, setier, sequin, sevrer, tenir, venir, fyc. 

E mute occurs at the end of words ; as in : haine, 
belle, lampe, fyc ; and also in the middle of many 
words, such as: acheminement, aigue-marine,Antechrist, 
aqueduc,, atelier, chapelain, chapelier, durete, elever, 
tperon, nous trouverons, 85c. 

215. , 

Un air mauvais, signifies : a surly or stern look ; 
and un mauvais air, a shabby or mean appearance. 

216. 

When the adjective tout is construed with the name 
of a city or town of the feminine gender, it is not 
only invariable itself, but causes the participle or 
adjective (if there is any) to be so likewise. 

217. 
The t in geant, faineant, and mecreant, is never 
sounded ; nor in neant ; except in the following 
familiar expression : neant a la requete, I will not do it 

218. 
Ce, de, le, la, que, are never retrenched before out, 
onze, or the numerical un; for we say : le out el le not/, 



KEY. 137 

the ay and the no ; elle dit que out, she says yes ; 
le onze, le onzieme, la onzieme, the eleventh ; le un, 
the number one. 

219. 
LI in cuiller, is liquid, and the r sounded. Pro- 
nounce both I's in illusion; and both r's in: torrent, 
il courra, il mourroit, erreur, terreur, horreur, irrite, 
terrible, errone ; and in all words beginning with ir, 
followed by another r. Rr in corridor, perroquet, cor- 
respondant, souterrain, is pronounced as a single r 
sounded very strong. 

220. 
La pauvre femme se jeta dans mes bras, signifies : 
the poor woman threw herself into my arms ; and, 
la pauvre femme sejeta entre mes bras, the poor woman 
threw herself upon me for protection. 



In the following sentence : cette promenade est tout 
autre qu'elle n'etoit, the word tout is an adverb, in- 
variable before a feminine adjective beginning with a 
vowel. See 199. 

In the second example : toute autre auroit rejeti 
une telle proposition, toute is an adjective agreeing with 
a feminine noun understood ; namely, femme or per- 
sonne : as, toute autre femme, fyc, 



The fin neuf nine, is mute before a word beginning 
with a consonant : neuf livres ; pronounce, neu livres. 
Before a vowel or h mute, it sounds as a v : net if amis ; 
neufheures; pronounce, neu-vamis; neu-vlieures. When 
neuf is followed by no other word, or when neither an 
adjective nor a substantive comes after it, \h.ef keeps 
its natural sound : as, Louis neuf; il y en avoit neuf; 
neuf et demi ; un neuf de carreau ; tous les neuf ar- 
riverent a lafois ; pronounce, neuff. 

F in neuf (adj.), signifying new, is also pronounced 
as in English : un habit neuf; pronounce, neuff — ex- 
cept before a vowel or k mute, where it must be 
united as a v : cet ouvrage est neuf et inUressant ; pro* 
pounce, neu-vet interessant. 

M 3 



138 KEY. 



The plural of honnete komme, is honnetes gens, and 
not, honnites hommes ; as, ce sont d' honnetes gens, these 
are honest men. 

224. 
If we place the interrogative who ? or what ? after 
the participle coute, in the following sentence : la 
somme que cette affaire m'a coute; and ask -what per- 
son or thing is cost ; the answer cannot be me, be- 
cause this pronoun is in the oblique case : nor can 
we say that any thing is cost. As there is therefore 
no object in the sentence with which the participle 
coute can agree, it remains undeclined. But in the 
other sentence : que de valeur il a montree ! the parti- 
ciple montree is made to agree with valeur, because 
it governs that noun as its direct object. 

225. 
The final n in chagrin, butin, and all other words 
that have the nasal termination in, is never united, in 
pronunciation, to the succeeding vowel. 

226. 

The g in vingt, is never pronounced. The final t is 
silent before a word beginning with a consonant, and at 
the end of a sentence ; but sounded before a vowel or /* 
mute : as, vingt ecus ; vingt hommes ; pronounce, vein- 
tecus ; vein-thommes. Sound the t in vingt, in the 
series of numbers from vingt to trente ; but not from 
quatre-vingts to cent, unless a vowel follows. 

The q in cinq, is mute before a word beginning with 
a consonant; as, cinq chevaux ; -pronounce, cein chevaux ; 
but sounded before a vowel or h mute, and at the 
end of a sentence ; as, cinq ans ; cinq horloges ; il y en 
a cinq ; pronounce, cin-kans ; cin-fchorloges ; il y en 
a seink. 

227. 

We begin the sentence with ce, whenever we wish 
to give it greater emphasis : as, ce n 'est pas un mal 
que d'avoir des envieux, there is no harm in exciting 
envy; c'est une vertu Men estimable que la patience, 



KEY. 139 

patience is a most estimable virtue ; which sentences 
are more forcibly expressed, than if I said : avoir des 
envieux n 'est pas un mal ; la patience est une vertu bien 
estimable. 

228. 
77 est tailleur, signifies : he is a tailor (by trade); and, 
c\est un tailleur, it is a tailor (who is speaking, &c). 



The final ois in : carquois, sournois, and Tournois, 
is pronounced 6a, before a word beginning with a con- 
sonant, and oaz before a vowel. Harnois is pro- 
nounced harne. Sound the s as a z before a vowel. 



Collective nouns general, though followed' by a 
plural noun, govern the verb in the singular, in French ; 
whereas in English the verb is most frequently in 
the plural : as, 

L'ennemi se presenta aux The enemy appeared be- 
portes de la ville. before the gates of the 

town. 
La multitude d'habitans The multitude of inhabi- 
qui le suivoit. tants who were follow- 

ing him. 



The / in deuil, feuil, fauteuil, and all other words 
ending in euil, is liquid, and keeps the same liquid 
sound before a word beginning with a vowel or h mute, 
to which it must be united in pronunciation. 

232. 
Le riche Lucullus, signifies merely : the rich Lu- 
cullus ; and Lucullus le riche, implies that there are 
several persons named Lucullus ; but that the one 
meant is the rich one. 



The article V, is used before on for the sake of 
euphony only. It should never be employed but to 



140 KEY. 

prevent an hiatus, or a harshness of sound. L 'on, in- 
stead of on, is therefore properly used in the following 
instances : 

1. After all words ending with a vowel (except e 
mute), provided there is no pause after them : as, si 
1 'ore nous entendoit, if we should be heard, &c. — Ne- 
vertheless, we say : si on le veut, if they wish it; and 
not, si Von le veut ; on account of the last le. 

2. After ct, ou, and cii; also after que, unless there 
are too many que's in the sentence. 

- 3. Before verbs beginning with com, or con: as, que 
Von commence, let them begin; que V on considere ma 
situation, let them consider my situation. 



The d in pied, and its compounds : trepied, couvre- 
pied, contre-pied, marche-pied, &c, is mute both be- 
fore a vowel and a consonant ; except in the follow- 
ing expressions, where the d is united to the succeed- 
ing vowel asai: avoir en ville un pied-a-terre, to have 
a house of call in town ; arme de pied en cap, armed 
cap-a-pie. 

D is silent in : il s'assied, il sied, il messied, before 
a consonant ; but it is joined as a Ho a succeeding 
vowel or h mute. 

235. 

Couple is feminine ; except when it signifies two 
persons united in love or matrimony ; for then it is 
masculine: as, un heureux couple, a happy couple. 
Enfant is masculine : yet we sometimes make it femi- 
nine in familiar conversation, in speaking of a little 
girl : as, c^est la meillcure enfant du monde, there never 
was a better child. 



The past participle construed with a verb imper- 
sonal, is indeclinable- : as, 

La grande disclte qu 'il y The great scarcity there 

a eu. has been. 

Les tumultes qu 'i7 a fallu The riots which it was 

apaiser. necessary to quell. 



KEY. 141 

In this sentence : de la Jagon que j'ai dit, on a 
du m 'entendre, there is an ellipsis after the word 
dit, of les choses, which, being the direct object, and 
coming after the verb, the participle remains unvaried. 
See 239. • 

237. 

The final r of all words ending in ir, as well 
nouns as verbs, is sounded in every situation ; and 
must be united -to the next word beginning with a 
vowel or h mute: as, un desir ardent; cneillir une 
fieur — pronounce : un desi-r-ardent, cueilli-r-une jleur. 



Une langue pativre, is : a poor language, one that 
is not rich in expressions ; and une pauvre la?igue, a 
barbarous language. 

239- 
The participle is indeclinable when the direct object 
follows it, as well as when the object is indirect : as, 

Le comte a congedie ses The count has dismissed 

domestiques. his servants. 

Lucrece s'est donne la Lucretia put herself to 

mort. death. 

Se, in the latter example, not being in the accusa- 
tive case, is the indirect object. 

Note. The pronouns dont, auquel, y, and en (except 
when the latter signifies some), represent the indirect 
object of the participle. Also the following personal 
pronouns in the dative case : me, te, lui, se, nous, vous, 
leur. 

240. 

The n in bien, ancien, and rien, has always the 
nasal sound before a word beginning with a conso- 
nant. In bien (adverb), and rien, it loses that nasal 
' sound before a vowel or h mute, to which it is united 
in pronunciation. N, in bien (noun), is in every case 
nasal, and never joined to a succeeding vowel or k 
mute. The final n in ancien, loses its nasality only 
before a noun beginning with a vowel or h mute, to 
which it must be united. 



142 KEY. 

241. 

Un sad enfant, signifies : an only child, a single 
child ; and un enfant seul, one child alone. 

242. 
D, in the termination end, in substantives, is always 
mute. In all other parts of speech it is silent before 
a word beginning with a consonant, and united asa < 
to such as begin with a vowel or h mute : as, com- 
prend-elle? pronounce, compran-t-elle ? 

243. 

The verb following I'un et I'aulre, is put in the 
singular when a distinct action or essence can be at- 
tributed to each subject ; or, in other words, when 
each subject can be taken separately and individually 
as the nominative to the verb ; example : I'un et 
V autre m'a. refuse, both of them have refused me. 
The verb is in the singular here, because it has 
reference to distinct refusals to proposals made, given 
by different persons, at different times. 

But when the two subjects contribute simultaneously 
towards one and the same action, or essence, the verb 
must be in the plural ; as, 

J'ai vu Ic pere et la mere ; I have seen the father 

I'un et I'aulre w'ont and mother; both of 

promis leur Jille en ma- them have promised 

riage. me their daughter in 

marriage. 

In this example, the father and mother both concur 
in the same action. 

244. 

Un fou rire, is : a hearty laugh, such as one cannot 
repress ; and un rire fou, a silly laugh. 

245. 

The final t in : client, etudiant (a student), humiliant, 

liant (suppleness), mendiant (a beggar), mortifiant, ni- 

gociant (a merchant), Orient, pliant (a folding stool), 

riant, suppliant (a petitioner), variant (changeable), is in 



KEY. 143 

no case sounded. The t of the adjectives coiifiant and 
insouciant, is pronounced before a vowel or h mute, 
and united to it ; unless a pause follows, when it is 
silent. 

240. 
Lejeune Scipion, means : young Scipio ; and Scipion 
lejeune, Scipio junior. 

247. 

When the word personne is an indefinite pronoun, 
it requires the adjective or participle which refers to 
it, to be in the masculine gender, even speaking of 
a woman • as, personne n'est venu, nobody is come, 
(not venue.) 

Notwithstanding, if personne is applied to a woman 
in such a way that it ceases to be indefinite, and be- 
comes specified, it then requires the adjective to be 
feminine ; as, je ne connois personne plus heureuse 
qu'elle, I know no one more happy than she. In 
this last sentence there is an ellipsis of the words qui 
soit ; viz. , je ne connois personne qui soit plus heureuse 
qu'elle. 

248. 
X in index and perplex, is sounded as cs before a 
word beginning with a consonant, and united as a 2 
to a vowel or h mute. Sometimes the latter word is 
spelled perplexe, in which case x sounds as cs in every 
situation. 



The following nouns are of both genders, having 
a different signification in each : 

MASCULINE. FEMININE. 

Un aide, an assistant. Vaide, the assistance* 

un aigle, an eagle. I'aigle romaine, or impe- 

rial, the Roman or Im- 
perial eagle. 
un ange, an angel. une ange, a skate, (fish) 

Un aune, an alder-tree. une aune, an ell. 

un barbe, a Barbary horse, une barbe, a beard. 
un berce, a robin-red- de la berce, cow-parsnip, 
breast. 



144 



KEY. 



du bourgogne, Burgundy 

wine. 
un capre, a privateer. 
le carouge, the carab-tree. 
le carpe ( part of the 

wrist ). 
un cartouche, a cartouche. 

(ornament) 
du champagne, Cham- 
paign wine. 
un coche, a caravan. 
un contre-garde, a deputy 

warden of the mint. 
un corneite, a cornet of a 

troop of horse. 
un cravate, a Croatian 

soldier. 
un custode, a warden. 
un echo, an echo. 
un enseigne, an ensign. 
un exemple, an example. 

le Jin d'une affaire, the 
main point of an affair. 

un ford, a drill, gimblet. 

le foudre de Jupiter, Ju- 
piter's thunderbolt. 

un garde, one of the 
guards. 

un garde du corps, a life- 
guard. 

un garde-robe, a cloth to 
preserve linen. 

le givre, the hoar-frost 

legreffe, the rolls. 

le gueule, the gules, (in 

heraldry) 
un guide, a guide. 

V heliotrope, the sunflower. 

un huitiemc, an eighth 
part. 



la Bourgogne, Burgundy. 

(a province) 
une cdpre, a caper. 
la carottge,the carob-bean. 
une carpe, a carp. 

une cartouche, a charge for 
a gun, &c. 

la Champagne, Champ- 
paign. (a province) 

une coche, a sow ; notch. 

une contre-garde, a coun- 
ter-guard. 

une cornette, a woman's 
cornet, (head-dress) 

une cravate, a cravat, 
(neckcloth) 

une custode, a holster-cap. 

Echo, the nymph Echo. 

une enseigne, a sign. 

une exemple, a copy for 
writing or drawing by. 

la Jin d'une affaire, the 
end of a business. 

uneforet, a forest. 

la foudre, the thunder, 
(for tonnerre, in poetry). 

une garde, many soldiers 
to wait on some one. 

une garde, a nurse (for 
sick persons). 

une garde-robe, a ward- 
robe. 

la givre, the serpent, (in 
heraldry) 

la greffe, the graft. 

la gueule, the mouth of a 
dog, cat, &c. 

une guide, or des guides, 
the reins. 

V heliotrope, oriental jas- 
per. 

une huitieme. a sequence 
of eight cards, at piquet. 



KEY. 



145 



V hepatite, hepatitis lapis. 

un hymne, a canticle. 

le lis, the lily. 

un livre, a book. 

un loutre, a beaver hat. 

un manoeuvre, a labourer. 



un manche, a handle. 



un masque, a mask. 

un memoire, a memorial. 
un mestre de camp, a colo- 
nel of horse. 

un mode, a mood. 

un mole, a pier. 

un moule, a mould (to 
cast in). 

un mousse, a cabin-boy. 

un bon office, a good turn. 

I 'Office Divin, Divine Ser- 
vice. 

le Saint-Office, the Inqui- 
sition. 

le grand-ceuvre, the phi- 
losopher's stone. 

un ceuvre, a collection of 
engravings. 

Vombre, or Vhombre, a 
game of cards. 

un page, a page. 

un palme, a hand's 

breadth. 
unparallele, a comparison. 

le pdque, or pdques, Eas- 
ter. 



I 'hepatite, hepatites, (in- 
flammation of the liver) 

une hymne, a hymn (sung 
at church). 

la Lis, the Lys. (a river) 

une livre, a pound. 

une loutre, an otter. 

une manoeuvre, a manoeu- 
vre. 

la manoeuvre, the working 
of a ship. 

une manche, a sleeve. 

la Manche, the British 
Channel. 

une masque, an ugly 
witch. 

la memoire, the memory. 

la mestre de camp, the 
first company of a re- 
giment of horse. 

une mode, a fashion. 

une mdle, a moon- calf. 

une moule, a muscle. 

de la mousse, moss. 
une office, a buttery. 



I' ceuvre, the church- 
warden's pew. 

les ceuvres, the works of 
an author. 

une ombre, a shade, sha- 
dow. 

une page, the page of a 
book. 

une palme, a branch of a 
tree. 

une par allele, a parallel 
line. 

la pdque, the passover. 



146 



KEY. 



un pendule, a pendulum. 

le Perche, a province of 
France. 

le piriode, the pitch, sum- 
mit, (fig.) 

un petit pestd a little mis- 
chievous boy. 

un pique, a spade, (at 
cards) 

un pivoine, a gnat-snapper 

un plane, or platane, a 
plane-tree. 

un poele, a stove; pall; 
canopy. 

un polacre, or polaque, a 
Polish horseman. 

leponte, punto. (at cards) 

le pourpfe, purple colour ; 
purples, (a disease) 

un quadrille, quadrille. 

(a game) 
le reclame, a cry or sign 

to call back a hawk. 

un rigale, a regal, (a stop) 
un reldche, a relaxation. 
un remise, a hackney- 
coach. 

un satyre, a demi-god. 

un sauve-garde, a soldier 

employed to prevent 

pillage. 
un scolie, a scholium, (in 

geometry) 
le serpenlaire, serpentari- 

us. (a constellation) 
le sexte, the sextus. (in 

anatomy) 
un somme, a nap. 



une pendule, a clock. 
une perche, a perch ; pole. 

une piriode, a period. 

la peste, the plague. 

une pique, a pike. 

la pivoine, piony. 
une plane, a plane. 

une poele, a frying-pan. 

une polacre, or polaque, a 
polacre. (vessel) 

la ponte, the laying of 
eggs ; laying time. 

la pourpre, a mark of 
cardinalship ; a little 
fish ; purple cloth. 

une quadrille, a troop of 
horse for a carousal. 

la reclame, the catch- 
word at the bottom of 
of a page. 

la regale, the right. 

une reldche, a harbour. 

une remise, a delay ; a re- 
mittance; discount; a 
coach-house. 

une satyre, a parody of a 
serious play. 

une sauve-garde, a safe- 
guard. 

une scolie, a commentary. 

la serpentaire, snake- 
weed. 

la sexte, the sexte. (one 
of the canonical hours) 

une somme, a sum; a 
beast's load. 



KEY. 



147 



le souris, the smile. la souris, the mouse. 

les teignes, corruption of la teigne, scurf. 

the frush. 

un teneur de livres, a book- la teneur, the tenour. 

keeper. 

un tour, a turn ; trick. une tour, a tower. 

un triomphe, a triumph. une triomphe, a trump. 

(at cards) 

un trompette, a trumpeter, une trompette, a trumpet. 

le vague de I' air, the airy la vague, the wave. 

way. 

un vase, a jar, vessel. la vase, mud, or mire. 

un vigogne, a vigogne, la vigogne, vigogne wool. 

(species of camel) 

un voile, a veil. une voile, a sail. 

250. 

Quelle est votre erreur ? signifies : what error is it 
you have committed ? and quelle erreur est la vdtre ! 
what an error you have made ! 

251. 

The t in huil, is mute before a word beginning with 
a consonant, and sounded before a vowel or k mute. 
It is also pronounced when that word is a noun, or is 
at the end of a sentence — example : 

Huit compagnies ; pronounce, hid compagnies. 

Huit ecus ; pronounce, hui-tecus. 

Le huit du mois. 1 j . i . 

TJ . , ., >- sound the t . 

It en resta huit. J 

Ts in puits, is always mute in the singular number : 
as, un puits prqfond ; un puits a sec ; pronounce, pui. 
In the plural the t is silent, and the * sounded before 
a word beginning with a vowel or k mute, to which 
it is united as a z ; as, les puits etoient a sec ; pro- 
nounce, pui-zetoient. 

252. 

The participle is indeclinable when it is followed 
by a verb (expressed or understood), governing the 
preceding noun or pronoun — example : 

N 2 



148 KEY. 

Les niontres qu'il a fait He would not pay for the 

faire, il ne les a pas watches he ordered to 

voulu payer. be made. 

II a dit toutes les raisotis He has given all the rea- 

qu'il a voulu. sons he wished. 

In the last example, the verb dire is understood ; 
viz. , qu'il a voulu dire. 

When the preceding noun or pronoun is governed 
of the tense compound, and not of the verb following 
the participle, the latter must agree with the direct 
object in gender and number : as, 

La resolution que vous avez The resolution you have 
prise d'aller a la cam- formed of going into 
pagne the country. 

253. 
Sound the t in : rut, brut, and luth, in every situa- 
tion. The t in defunt and emprunt, is never pro- 
nounced. In but, the t is silent before a word begin- 
ning with a consonant, and sounded before a vowel or 
h mute, and at the end of a sentence : as, 

Le but que vous vous pro- The end you aim at. 

posez.(ipron. le bu que,Sfc) 
Jouer but d but. (pron. 6m- To play even hands. 

id but.) 
Viser au but. (pron. the t.) To aim at the mark. 

254. 

Un pauvre auteur, is : an author of very little merit ; 
and un auteur pauvre, an author whose purse is low. 

255. 
When we speak of persons, or of things personified, 
we must always employ the possessive pronoun son, sa, 
or ses ; thus we say of a man or woman : sa tele est 
belle, he or she has a fine head ; and not, la tete en est 
belle. But in speaking of things not personified, the 
possessive pronouns are never used, except when it is 
impossible to employ en ; therefore, in speaking of a 
statue, we say : la tete en est belle. We say also : si la 



KEY. 



1*9 



ville a ses agrimens, la campagne a les siens, if it is 
pleasant in town, it is not less so in the country ; be- 
cause in this instance it would be impossible to substi- 
tute en for the pronoun possessive. 

256. 

The z of the termination iez, in the second person 
plural of various tenses of verbs, is mute before a 
consonant, but sounded before a vowel or h mute : as, 

Pronounce, 
Vous aimiez Vitude. Vous aimie V etude. 

Vous souriez avec grace. Vous sourii-zavec grace. 

257. 

C'est un vilain homme, signifies : he is a nasty* 
disagreeable man ; and c'est un homme vilain, he is a 
niggardly fellow. 

258. 
The word plupart used absolutely, requires the verb 
to be in the plural, because the noun understood is 
supposed to be in that number : as, 

L.a plupart furent d 'avis. Most of them were of 
opinion. 
( that is, la plupart des gens.) 

When plupart is followed by a noun expressed, in 
the singular number, the verb of course agrees with 
it, it in the singular : as, 
La plupart du monde vou- Most people wished. 

loit. 

259. 

The r in singulier, is never sounded but before a 
noun beginning with a vowel or h mute. The rs in 
volontiers, is in every case mute. 

260. 

Mes deux cousins sont prets a mourir, signifies : my 
two cousins are ready or prepared to die; and, mes 
deux cousins sont pres de mourir, my two cousins are 
on the point of death. 

N 3 



T50 KEY. 



The t in : odorat, plat, and rat, is pronounced only 
before an adjective beginning with a vowel or h mute. 
Sound the t in vivat and chut, in every ease. 



The adjective desagreable, construed with the verb 
etre, requires the preposition a before the next infini- 
tive ; unless etre is impersonal, in which case desa- 
greable must be followed by de. 



La maison dont il sort, signifies : the family he is 
descended from ; and la maison d 'ou il sort, the house 
he is coming out of. 

264. 

Sound the r in kier, in all situations ; and unite it to 
the next word beginning with a vowel or h mute. 
The final r in premier is mute ; except before a sub- 
stantive beginning with a vowel or h mute, where it 
must be united in pronunciation. 

265. 

The noun aide is feminine when it signifies help ; 
but masculine when it means a male person who asssists 
another. The adjective agrees accordingly. 



The final c in Cotignac, is silent before a consonant, 
and pronounced as a k before a vowel or h mute. C 
in broc de vin, and marc d'or, is mute. Sound the c in 
Marc, a man's name, in every situation. 



The adjectives fat and chdtain have [no feminine. 
The r in sieur is always sounded. In ^messieurs, the 
r and the s are both mute before a consonant ; and 
before a vowel or h mute the r is dropped, and the x 
united a6 a z. 



KEY. 151 



When the object asked for denotes an action, the 
verb demander is followed by the preposition a : as, il 
demande a vous suivre. But when that object does not 
imply the doing of an action, de must be used : as, il 
demande de ne pas vous suivre. 

269. 

G in sang and rang, is silent before a consonant ; 
but pronounced as a k before a vowel or h mute : as, 
il a le sang echauffe ; un rang honorable ; pronounce, il 
a le san-kechauffe, un ran-khonorable. Orang-outang 
is pronounced as written ; that is, without uniting the 
first g to the succeeding vowel. 

270. 

Un peuple cruel, is • a barbarous people ; and un cruel 
peuple, an unruly people. 

271. 

F in nerf, is silent before a consonant, and pro- 
nounced at the end of a sentence. Before a vowel or 
h mute, it is united as a v. F is mute in bceuf-gras, 
and ceufdur. — See 279. 

272. 

The participles vicu and pu, like ele and Jallu, are 
never declined. 

273. 

Les termes propres, signifies : the proper or suitable 
expressions ; and les propres termes, the identical ex- 
pressions. 

274. 

The final t in tot is never sounded ; except in tot ou 
tard. The t in prevot, is mute before a word begin- 
ning with a consonant, as well as before a vowel or h 
mute, if there is the least pause after it : as, le prevdt, 
accable par le nombre, succomba ; pronounce, prevo ac- 
able. Where there is no pause after prevot, the t is 



152 KEY. 

sounded, and united to a succeeding vowel or h mute : 
as, un prevot insouciant ; pronounce, privS-tinsouciant. 
The t in rot, is never sounded. 

275. 
Je Vai vue peindre, signifies : I saw her painting, 
or drawing ; and je Vai vu peindre, I saw somebody 
taking her likeness. Je les ai vus piller, I saw them 
plundering ; and Je les ai vu piller, I saw them plun- 
dered, (or being plundered). — See 252. 

276. 

The verb comprendre, followed by the conjunction 
que, requires the following verb to be in the indicative 
in affirmative sentences, and in the subjunctive in 
negative ones. The same is observable of conclure, 
to conclude. 

277. 

Done is pronounced donk, at the beginning of a 
sentence or proposition, and before a word beginning 
with a vowel or h mute : as, je pense : doncj'existe ; 
vous etes done instruit de cet evenement ; pronounce 
donk, in both cases. The c of this word is sometimes 
pronounced even at the end of a sentence : as, eh quoi.' 
tout le monde me quitte done ? 

When done occurs in the middle of a phrase, fol- 
lowed by a consonant, the c is silent : as, votre pert 
est done sorti. 

In jonc and tronc, the c is mute before a consonant, 
but united as a k, to a word beginning with a vowel 
or h mute. 

278. 
Un homme grand, signifies : a tall man ; and un 
grand homme, a great man ; but the signification of 
grand in these situations, is reversed when one or 
more words qualifying it are superadded : as, un grand 
homme sec, a tall, lean man ; un homme grand dans ses 
projets, a great man in forming plans. 

279. 
Fs is silent in : bceufs, nerfs, and ceufs, before a word 
beginning with a consonant, and at the end of a sen- 



KEY. 153 

tence. Sound the f before a vowel or h mute, and 
unite the s as a z. 



When two or more subjects, or nouns in the nomi- 
native case, contribute alternately and under different 
circumstances towards producing an habitual action, 
the verb is put in the plural ; for though those sub- 
jects are separated by a disjunctive, yet each has its 
share in producing that action : as, 

Le temps ou la mort sont Time or death is our 
nos remedes. remedy. 

281. 

i' annee derniere, is : the year immediately pre- 
ceding the present one: as, j'ai cesse de voyager 
V annee derniere, I left off travelling last year. La der- 
niere annee, is : the last year of any particular epoch ; 
that is, the last in succession : as, la derniere annee 
du bail, the last year of the lease ; la derniere annee 
de son regne, the last year of his reign. 



H is aspirated in Henri ; except in familiar conver- 
sation, where it is dropped. In Henriade it is always 
sounded. H in hangar, is aspirated in some provinces 
of France, in others not. The former seems the 
preferable pronunciation. 

283. 
The noun aigle is feminine in heraldry : as, Vaigle 
romaine, the Roman Eagle ; une aigle eployee, a 
spread eagle ; also when it signifies the constellation 
aquila. In all other cases it is masculine. 

284. 
_ Never sound the d in grand ; unless a noun begin- 
ning with a vowel or h mute follows it, when it 
must be pronounced as a. t; example : I'komme grand, 
et le grand homme, sont deux choses bien diffe rentes ; 
pronounce, I' homme gran, \etle gran-thomme, fyc. 



154 KEY. 

The d in quand, is silent before a consonant, and 
united as a t to the next word beginning with a 
vowel or h mute : as, quand il viendra ; pronounce, 
quan-til viendra. In most other words ending in and, 
the final d is silent even before a vowel. 

285. 

Une clef fausse, is : a wrong key ; and une fausse 
clef, a false key, or a duplicate of the right one. 



When chacun occurs in a sentence after the collect- 
ive sense is complete, the possessive pronoun must 
agree with it distributively ; that is, son, sa, or ses 
must be used instead of leur or leurs : as, 

II faut remettre ces livres Every one of these books 
chacun a, sa place. must be put in its place 

again. 

Here, il faut remettre ces livres, forms a collective 
sense complete ; and chacun coming after it, we use 
the distributive sa, instead of the collective leur. 

But when chacun precedes the collective sense com- 
plete, the pronoun leur or leurs must be used : as, 

Lesjuges ont donne chacun Every judge gave his 
leur avis, suivant leurs opinion according to 

lumieres. his conviction. 

In this example, chacun occurs before the collective 
sense is complete, which would only be after avis ; 
consequently leur is employed. Notwithstanding, we 
say : il a dit a chacun son fait, he has told every one 
his own : because there being no noun in the sen- 
tence with which the possessive pronoun can agree 
collectively, the word chacun determines the sense 
distributively. 

287. 
Sound the_/ in :fef, grief, and relief, before a word 
beginning with a consonant ; and pronounce it as a v, 
before a vowel or h mute. 



KEY. 155 

288. 

Un conte plaisant, signifies : an amusing story ; and 
un plaisant conte, an absurd and contemptible story. 



The t in : alphabet, billet, and jet, is silent before a 
consonant ; but united to the next word beginning 
with a vowel or h mute. 

The t in : ballet, et, and guet, is never pronounced. 

In net and tacet, the final t is always sounded. 

290. 
The verb following croire must be put in the in- 
dicative, when the person who speaks is confident 
that the thing expressed by the second verb will not 
take place: as, croyez-vous qu'il le fera? — If he has 
a doubt about it, himself, the subjunctive is used : as, 
croyez-vous qu'il le fasse ? 

291. 

Donner chasse, and donner la chasse, both signify : 
to give chase to ; but the former is said of vessels at 
Sea ; and the latter when the pursuit is on land : as, 

Donner chasse d. un brigan- To chase a brig. 

tin. 

Donner la chasse aux en- To pursue the enemy. 

nemis. ( on the land.) 

292. 

Pronounce the c in bouc, and the g in joug, in every 
case. The I in soul, is never sounded. Ls in pouls, 
is mute before a consonant. Before a vowel or k 
mute the I is silent, and the s united as a z ; example : 
pouls intermittent > pronounce, pou-zintermittent. 

293. 

The preposition d is used after comparer, when 
there is some analogy or resemblance between the two 
things compared : as, il n'y a point d'eglise que I 'on 
puisse comparer a Saint Pierre de Rome, there is no 
church to be compared to St. Peter's at Rome. But 



156 KEY. 

when there is no ground for a comparison, the two 
objects being the reverse of each other, we use avec : 
as, que Von compare la docilite du chien, avec la Jierte 
et la ferocite du tigre, let the docility of a dog be 
compared with the fierceness and ferocity of a 
tiger. 

294. 
Parler mal, signifies : to speak incorrectly ; and 
mal parler, to speak ill : as, il nefaut ni parler mal des 
absens, ni mal parler devant les savans, we ought neither 
to speak ill of absent persons, nor speak incorrectly 
before the learned. 

295. 
Pronounce David and Cid, as if spelled Davide and 
Cide. When a vowel or h mute follows, unite the d : 
as, David est un des prophetes de I'Ecriture Sainte ; 
pronounce, Davi-dest, SfC. The d in muid and nid, is 
in no case sounded. 

296. 
Mortel, placed before a noun, generally signifies : 
very great, or excessive : as, il y a vingt mortelles 
lieues, it is twenty long leagues. When it follows the 
noun, it signifies mortal : as, tous les hommes sont mor- 
tels, all men are mortal. 

297. 

The termination ein in nouns; as, plein, dessein, Sj-c. 
is nasal ; and the n never united to the succeeding 
vowel or h mute. In adjectives immediately preceding 
a substantive beginning with a vowel or h mute, the 
n loses its nasal sound, and is united in pronunciation 
to the following word : as, en plein ete ; pronounce,, 
en ple-nete. 

298. 
The noun amour is masculine in the singular, and 
feminine in the plural ; except when it signifies cupids, 
for then it is masculine in the plural also. 

299. 

Une eau mortc, is a standing or stagnant water ; and 
tine morte eau, low water, or the ebb. 



KEY. 



157 



300. 
The k in heros is aspirated, 
and hiro'ique. 



but mute in heroine 



301. 



Je ne puis plus. 
Je n'en puis plus. 



II est en maisoti. 

II est dans la maison. (de 
M. un tel). 

Je ne sals ouj'en suis. 



Je ne sais oiije suis. 
Se prendre ti quelqu'un. 
S'en prendre a quelqu'un. 

On en Uoit venu si avant, 
qu'il falloit vaincre on 
mourir. 



On etoit venu si avant, 
qu 'il falloit vaincre 6u 
mourir. 

Elle est en I 'air. 
Elle est dans Vair, or dans 
les airs. 

Notre predicateur est en 

chaire. 
Notre predicateur est dans 

la chaire. 

II est dans I'eau, 
II est en eau. 



I am no longer able. 
I am exhausted, or, I can 
hold out no longer. 

He is provided with a 

situation. 
He lives at (Mr. such a 

one's). 

I am completely non- 
plused ; I do not know 
what I am doing. 

I do not know where I am. 

To catch hold of one ; to 

attack one. 
To lay the blame on one ; 

to find fault with one. 



were come to 
a pitch, that 



Things 
such 

there was no alterna- 
tive between death and 
victory. 

They had advanced so 
far, that they must 
either conquer or die. 

She is up in the air. 
She is exposed to the air, 
surrounded by the air. 

Our minister is preach- 

Our minister is within the 
pulpit. 

He is in the water. 

He is quite in a perspira- 



158 KEY. 

Nous somtnes en hiver. We are in the winter 

season. 
Nous sommes dans I 'hiver. Winter has now come on. . 

302. 
Sound both the s and the t, in : Est, Quest, lest, and 
zest !, and unite the t to the next word, if it begins 
with a vowel or h mute. 

303. 

Tomber par terre, signifies : to fall down ; and 
tomber a terre, to fall to the ground (from a certain 
height). 

304. 

R is always silent in the following words, and the 
e preceding that letter has the close sound : baiser, 
berger, boucher, boulanger, clocher, cocker, and archer. 
Sound the r in amer and cancer, in every situation ; 
and give the grave sound to the e. 

305. 
Le haut ton, signifies : a haughty tone ; and le ton 
haut, a loud tone. 

306. 
The final d of hasard, bavard, and all other words 
ending in ard, is in every situation silent. 

307. 
When proper names are used merely to designate 
by their surnames two or more persons of the same 
family, they take no s in the plural ; example : 

Les Ciceron tie se sont pas The Ciceros did not ren- 
egalement illuslres. der themselves equally 

illustrious. 

But when they are used in a metaphorical sense, or 
as common nouns, they take an s as the sign of the 
plural : as, 

lis sont les Cesars do leur They arc the Caesars of 
siecle. that age. 

See <J9. 



KEY. 159 



• The final t in rempart, part, and all other words 
ending in art and ert, is in no case sounded : except 
in : de part en part, from side to side. 

309. 
L' Esprit Saint, is : the spirit of God ; and le Saint- 
Esprit, the Holy Ghost. 

310. 
Write in the singular and plural : cure-dent, cure- 
oreille, coq-d.-Va.ne, courte-botte, couvre-chef, couvrefeu, 
couvre-pied, croc-en-jambe, fesse-cahier, credo : and the 
rest as follows : 

SINGULAR. PLURAL. 

Courte-pointe. courtes-pointes. 

garde-chasse. gardes- chasse. 

garde-cdte. * gardes-c6te. 

coupe-jarret. coupe-jarret, or coupe- 

jarrets. 
garde-fou. garde-fou, or garde- 

fous. 
factum. factum, or factums. 

fesse-matkieu. fesse-mathieu, or fesse- 

mathieux. 

The four last nouns are more properly written 
without the plural sign, since the plurality falls on a 
Word which is understood. In coupe-jarret, the word 
homme is understood ; in garde-fou, the word balustre 
or barrier e; and in fesse-mathieu, the person designated 
by the word. Factum is borrowed from the Latin, and 
should conform to the rule for foreign words. See 1 14. 

* The plural ofgarde-cdte is gardes-cotes, when more 
than one coast is meant. 

311. 
The t in appdt, bat, and mat (a mast), is in every 
case silent. It is also silent in degdt, and il parldt, 
before a consonant ; but when a vowel or k mute 
succeeds, the t must be united to the next word : as, 
un degdt affreux ; il falloit qu'il parldt ainsi; pro- 
nounce, un degd-taffreux ; il falloit qu'il parld-tainsi. 
o 2 



160 KEY. 

312. 

Une corde fausse, is : a wrong string ; and tine 
fatisse corde, a string which is not tuned to the proper 
pitch. 

313. 
Sound the r in : Jupiter, Lucifer, Luther, magister, 
and J rater, in all cases. 

314. 

Je veux epouser une Jemme qui a plus de vertu que de 
beaute, signifies : I will marry a certain woman who 
is more virtuous than handsome ; and, j'epouserai une 
femme qui ait plus de vertu que de beaute, I will marry 
some woman who is more virtuous than handsome. 

315. 

T in abonnement is never sounded. In accent, an 
accent, it is mute before a consonant ; and united to 
a succeeding word beginning with a vowel or h mute : 
as, V accent aigu ; pronounce, I'accen-taigu. When ac- 
cent signifies : a manner of speaking, the t is in no case 
sounded : as, un accent agreable, an agreeable accent 
pronounce, un accen \ agreable. 

316. 

When oser is a neuter verb, used negatively, the ne- 
gation pas is often suppressed: a.s,je n'oserois lefaire, 
I dare not do it. When it is active, both ne and pas 
must be expressed : as, ilafaitce que V autre n'avoit 
pas ose, he has done what the other durst not do. 

317. 

C in clerc, is mute before a consonant ; and united 
as a k to the succeeding word beginning with a vowel 
or h mute. The d in verd and perd, is in no case 
pronounced. 

318. 
Tatez a oe vin la, signifies : try that wine ; or, taste 
whether that wine is good ; and tatez de ce vin Id, 
drink a little of that wine. 



KEY. 161 

319. 

Je -dottle qu'il vienne, and je doute s 'il viendra, signify : 
I doubt, or question whether he will come ; and je ne 
doute pas qu'il ne vienne, I doubt not but he will 
come. 

320. 
We say in French : 

La hure d'un sanglier, The head of a wild boar, 

d'un brocket, d'unsau- pike, salmon. 

mon. 
Le groin d'un cochon. The snout of a hog. 

Le mufle d'un cerf, d'un The muzzle of a stag, ox, 

bceuf, d'un lion, d'un lion, leopard, tiger. 

leopard, d'un tigre. 
Le museau d'un chien, The muzzle of a dog, fox. 

d'un renard. 
Z.e*defenses,orZwbroches The fangs of a wild boar. 

d'un sanglier. 
Les dents, or les defenses The teeth of an elephant. 

d'un elephant. 

321 

The d in chaud, echafaud, and all other words end- 
ing in aud, is in every case mute. D is also always 
silent in friand. 



S'occuper de, signifies: to be thinking of; and 
s'occuper a, to be actually working at. 

Ils'occupe de detruire les He is studying how tare* 

abus. dress grievances. 

// s'occupe a detruire les He is busy eradicating 

abus. abuses. 

S'occuper a is always followed by a verb, expressed or under- 
stood : as, tout le jour elle s'occupe a lire, she spends the whole 
day in reading ; il s'occupe a son jardin, he is busy working in 
his garden. In the last sentence there is an ellipsis of the word 
travailler : il s'occupe a travailler a sonjardin. 

323. 

Sound the ch in tackigraphie and tachigrapke, as sh. 

The first c in necromancie, and the c in secret, are 

pronounced as a g; and the first g in gangrene, as a c. 

o 3 



162 KEY. 

324. 
In speaking of things, the verb pardonner governs 
the noun in the accusative case: as, pardonner un 
crime, to pardon a crime ; but when it refers to per- 
sons, it is followed by the dative : as, pardonner a wi 
delinquant, to pardon an offender ; je lui pardonne le mal 
qu'il via fait, I forgive him the injury he has done me. 

325. 
L in mil, millet, is liquid ; but in mil, a thousand, 
it sounds as at the beginning of a word. Fol, a mad- 
man, and sol, a penny, which we sometimes meet 
with instead o£Jbu and sou, must be pronounced as 
the latter words. The I in sol, soil; sol, a note in 
music; and fol, foolish ; is pronounced as in English. 
See 367. 



ox,v. 
Maltraiter, signifies : to abuse, or use ill ; and trailer 
mal, to give a poor entertainment. 

327. 
The * in tons, is silent before a consonant, and 
united as a z to the next word beginning with a vowel 
or h mute. The s sometimes takes the hissing articula- 
tion at the end of a sentence : as, Us y sont tons ; 
pronounce tousse. The a in Aout is dropped; but 
sounded in aoute* 

328. 
C'est un des plus belles orgues. 
C'est un des plus beaux orgues. 
C'est une des plus belles orgues. 

The first of these phrases seems the most objection- 
able, it being quite unusal to give to a noun two dif- 
ferent genders in the same sentence. Grammarians 
are divided as to the two other modes of expression ; 
some preferring the one, and others the other. Perhaps 
the most correct would be to make orgue feminine in 
both instances : as, c'est une des plus belles orgues ; 
as well on account of the feminine termination of this 
word, as of its being more frequently used in its femi- 
nine form (that is, in the plural), than in the singular. 



KEY. 163 



When bon is immediately followed by a noun com- 
mencing with a vowel or h mute, the n loses its nasal 
sound, and is united to it : as, un bon ami ; pronounce, 
un bo-nami. The same takes place with mon, son, ton ; 
as, mon ami ; pronounce, mo-nami, fyc. 

Non is never joined in pronunciation to the next 
word, unless the latter is affected by it, as in the 
following sentence: une suite non-interrompue d' actions 
glorieuses ; pronounce, no-ninterrompue. The « of the 
word on, is always united to the next vowel : as, on a 
dit ; on entre ; pronounce, o-nadit, o-nentre. 

330. 
77 ne se passera pas a cela, signifies: he will not be 
content with that, or he will not stop there ; and il 
ne se passera pas de cela, he will not dispense with, 
or do without that. 

331. 
The final n of abandon, Acheron {eh as in cherir) ; 
baton, aiguillon, and of all other nouns having the nasal 
termination on, is never united to the succeeding vowel 
or h mute ; pronounce therefore : un ballon \ enfle, fyc. 
332. 
The noun ceuvre is of the feminine gender ; except 
in the following cases : — 

1 . When it is preceded by the adjective grand, sig- 
nifying the philosopher's stone; as, travailler au 
grand-ceuvre. 

2. In speaking of certain musical compositions, 
each of which is termed by composers, un ceuvre. 

3. When we speak of the whole of the works of 
any particular engraver; as, Vceuvre d' Albert Durcr, 
the engravings of Albert Durer, complete ; il a tout 
/ 'ceuvre de Callot, he has all the prints of Callot. 

4. In sublime discourse, ceuvre is sometimes made 
masculine in the singular number: as, ce saint ceuvre; 
un ceuvre de genie. 

333;. 
Sound they of chef , nef, and bref, and in all words 
ending in ef, before a consonant, or when standing 
.alone. Before a vowel or k mute, f takes the sound 



164 KEY. 

of v: as, un chef inlrepide ; la nefelevie; un bref apos- 
tolique; pronounce, un che-vinlrepide; la ne-velevee ; un 
bre-vapostolique. The noun clef is an exception, the jf 
of this word being in every situation silent. F is also 
mute in chef-d'oeuvre, a master-piece. 

334. 
C'est demain conge, signifies : tomorrow is a holiday 
(as usual) ; and ce sera demain conge, we shall have a 
holiday tomorrow, (an accidental one.) 

335. 
The * in sens, is sounded at the end of a sentence ; 
as, un homme de bon sens; pronounce, sanse ; but 
in every other situation it is silent, unless a vowel 
or h mute follows, when it is pronounced as a z ; 
example : le sens affirmatif ; pronounce, le sen-zaffer- 
matif. The I in g?-il is liquid; except in familiar con- 
versation, where it is silent. 

336. 
The foot of hoofed animals is expressed by pied; as, 

Le pied d'un cheval, d'un The foot of a horse, ox, 
bceuf, d'un cerf d'un stag, camel, elephant, 

chameau, d'un elephant, sheep, calf, goat. 

d'un mouton, d'un veau, 
d'un chevre. 

The mouth of fishes, and of most quadrupeds, is 
generally expressed by gueule : as, 

La gueule d'un brocket. The mouth of a pike. 

La gueule d'un bceuf, d'un The mouth of an ox, dog, 

chien, d'un lion, d'un lion, wolf, crocodile. 

hup, d'un crocodile. 

But we say : 
La bouche d'un cheval, The mouth of a horse, 
d'un chameau, d'un ele- camel, elephant. 

phant. 

We say also : 
La pate d'un chien, d'un The paw of a dog, cat, 
chat, d'un lievre, d'un hare, rabbit, wolf, bear, 

lupin, d'un loup, d'un ape, rat. 

vurs, d'un si»"e, d'un rat. 



KEY. 165 

La pate d'une oie. The foot of a goose. 

Les ongles d 'un lion. The claws of a lion. 

Les griffes d 'un chat, The claws of a cat, tiger. 

d'un ligre. 

La pate d'un perroquet. The claws of a parrot. 

Les serres d'un aigle, d'un The talons of an eagle, 

vautour. vulture. 

Les serres, ou les mains The talons of a hawk. 

d'un epervier. 

337. 

The plural of monosyllabic nouns ending in ant and 
ent, is formed by adding s to the singular : as, dent, 
a tooth, dents ; gant, a glove, gants : except gent, 
people ; which makes gens. 

Nouns in ant and ent, of more than one syllable, form 
their plural by changing the t into s : as, giant, a 
giant, geans ; agonisant, a dying man, agonisans ; 
present, a present, presens. 

The masculine plural of adjectives, is formed in the 
same manner as that of nouns. 

338. 
J'ai achete ce cheval de monfrere, and j'ai achete ce 
cheval a. mon frere, are both rendered by : I have 
bought this horse of my brother ; but the first is said 
in French with reference to the action of selling, ab- 
stractedly taken : my brother has sold me this horse 
(he being commissioned to sell it). The second sen- 
tence implies, that the horse belonged to my brother 
before I bought it of him : it may also signify : I 
have bought this horse for my brother. 



Quadrige, is pronounced as if spelled couadrige. 
Qu is pronounced as Jew, in liquefaction ; and in lique- 
Jler, as a k. The I in gentil, a gentile, is never sounded. 
In gentil, pretty, it is pronounced only before a vowel 
or h mute, where it takes the liquid articulation of // 
in Jille. 

340. 

When claire-voie signifies an opening in the wall of 
a park or garden, level with the ground, and secured 
only by a grate or ditch, it makes claires-voies in the 



166 KEY. 

plural. In its other acceptations it has no plural. 
Bail, makes baux. Breche-dent is indeclinable. 

341. 

The past participles of craindre and plaindre, are 
scarcely ever used in the feminine ; .because, being 
spelled and pronounced as the nouns crainte and 
plainte, they might at the first moment be mistaken 
for them. Instead, therefore, of saying : c'est une 
maladie quej'ai crainte, employ some other word : as, 
c'est une maladie quej'ai apprehendee. Crainte and 
plainte might however be used in sentences where 
they would not risk being confounded with the nouns : 
as, ellefut plus crainte qu'aimee, fyc. 

The past participle of fair, is rejected on account of 
the flatness of its cadence, which is always carefully 
avoided by the French. Instead, then, of: les oc- 
casions que j'ai fuies, say: les occasions quej'ai evi- 
tees ; or give some other turn to the phrase. 

342. 
Exarchat, ch sounds as k. damner, drop the m, and 
colignac, sound the final c. sound the a as in father, 

dompter, drop the p, and chisle, ch as h. 

sound the m as a nasal n. eigne, gu'e as gu. 
distiller, 11 not liquid. aigu'e, gu'e as gu. 

balsamique, s as a z. contempteur, sound the p. 

bat, sound the t. enivrer, pronounce the n 

battologie, sound both t 's. as nn. 

calvilie, pron. calvicie. 

343. 

Cette femme a accouche, means: this woman has 
delivered (another woman) of a child ; also : this woman 
has brought forth a child ; and cette femme est ac- 
couchee, may signify : this woman has been delivered 
of a child ; or, this is a lying-in woman. 

344. 

The final t of most words ending in ort ; as, effort, 
transport, mort, port, tort, rapport, sort, ressort, renfort, 
§c, is in every situation silent. When the next word 
begins with a vowel or h mute, the r of these words is 
united instead of the / ; as, un sort affreux ; pro- 
nounce, un so-r'affreux. 



KEY. 167 



845. 

The past participle, construed either with avoir or 
etre, must agree with the direct object in gender and 
number, if that direct object precedes the participle: as, 

Aucune des lettres que j'ai None of the letters I have 
re9ues ra'era dit mot. received says one word 

about it. 

La mort que Lucrdce s'est Lucretia's having put her- 
donnee I'a immortali- self to death has im- 

see. mortalized her. 

The direct object preceding the participle, is generally one of 
the following pronouns in the accusative case : que, me, te, se, 
le, la, les, nous, vous ; or it may be the interrogative pronoun 
quel, or the particle of quantity que joined to a noun : as, 

Quelle resolution avez-vous What resolution have you 

prise ? taken ? 

Que de choses il m , a dites ! What things he has told me ! 

When the direct object follows the participle, the latter is 
indeclinable. See 239. 

346. 

Une voix commune, is a natural voice ; and une com* 
mune voix, a unanimity of sentiment. 

347. 
The final r of all words ending in ir, is sounded, 
both before a consonant, and before a vowel or h 
mute, without exception. In the latter case it is 
united in pronunciation to the following word. In 
the infinitive of verbs, er is pronounced as a close e : 
as, aimer Dieu ; pronounce, aime Dieu. Before a 
vowel or h mute, the e takes the intermediate sound 
of e, and the r is united : as, blamer une mauvaise ac- 
tion ; pronounce, blame-rune mauvaise action. 

348. 
Tout-a-coup, signifies : suddenly : as, ce mal I'a pris 
lout-a-coup, he was suddenly taken ill. Tout d'un 
coup, means : all at once ; as, il Jit sa fortune tout d'un 
coup, he made his fortune all at once. 



168 KEY. 

349. 

Sound the t in fervent only when a substantive be- 
ginning with a vowel or h mute follows it. T in the 
following words , is in no case pronounced : froment, 
gent, ingredient, jument, mandement, Occident, onguent, 
parent, parlement. 

350. 

Induire en erreur, signifies : to deceive, or lead into 
error designedly. Induire a. erreur, means : to be the 
cause of another man's mistake, though probably un- 
intentionally. 

351. 

In annoncer, and all other verbs ending in cer, a 
cedilla must be affixed to the c, in those tenses and 
persons in which an o or an a follows it : as, j 'annon- 
cois, j'annoncai, fyc. 

352. 

The m in examen, hymen, gramen, abdomen, and amen t 
is not nasal ; but is sounded as in English. These words 
are pronounced in the same manner in the plural, both 
before a consonant, and at the end of a sentence. 
Before a vowel or h mute, the s is united as a z. 

353. 

The participles inclus and joint, preceding a noun 
used in a vague or indefinite sense, are indeclinable ; 
but when the signification of that noun is limited by 
an article or possessive pronoun, they agree with it 
in gender and number. When inclus and joint follow 
the noun, whether the latter is attended by an article 
or not, they agree with it in gender and number ; as 
unc copie de la (or de ma) lettre est incluse ; une pro- 
messe de mariage est Ci-jointe. 

354 
Pronounce the m in nom and its compounds, as a 
nasal n, and never unite it to the following vowel. 
Tand d in plal-bord, arc always silent. Sound they 
in sauf, before a word beginning with a consonant, 
and unite it as a v to a succeeding vowel or h mute. 



KEY. 169 

355. 
Une plaisante comedie, is a sorry play, a bad play ; 
and une comedie plaisante, an amusing play. 

356. 

The final t in district is silent ; and the c is joined 
as a k to a succeeding vowel. In strict, the final t is 
feebly pronounced in every situation. Sound the h 
in vehement, and unite the t to the next vowel or h 
mute : as, un orateur vehement etfougueux ; pronounce, 
vehemen-tet. But when there is the least pause after 
vehement, the t is not united; as, son ton vehement 
annoncoit les passions deson time ; pronounce, vehemen | 
annoncoit. 

357. 

Gouter un mets, signifies merely : to taste a dish 
in order to know whether it is good or had ; gouter 
d'un mets, is: to eat a little of any dish by way of 
nourishment ; and gouter a un mets, to taste whether 
a dish is properly seasoned, with a view to adding 
what may be still wanting in it. 

358. 

Git comes from the old verb gesir, to lie. The 
only persons still in use, are : il git, nous gisons, Us 
gisent, il gisoit, gisant. 

359. 

D, in the termination and, is silent before a conso- 
nant^ as well as before a vowel — except in adjectives 
preceding their substantives, and in the third person 
singular of verbs, where the d must be united to the 
following vowel as a t. 

Examples. 

Pronounce, 

Ungond solidementjixe. gon. 

Fairefaux bond a son honncur. bon. 

II est blond et delicat. blon. 

Fecond en saillies. fecon. 

Unfecond entrelien. fecon-teniretien. 

II estprofond en cetie maiierc. prof on. 

Un profond ecrivain. prqfon-lecrivaiu. 



170 KEY. 

Pronounce, 

C'est le second aprte lui. segon. {e guttural) 

Le second escadron. segon-tescadron. 

II confond les propositions avec confon. , 

les preuves. 

II correspond en secret avec correspon-ten secret, 

I'ennemi. 

Repond-il. repon-Uil. 

There is a single exception to the general rule for 
suppressing the final d before a vowel ; namely in : 
de fond en comble, which is pronounced; de fon-ten 
comble. 

360. 

Ait, in the past participle satisfait, is pronounced 
short, like the open acute e, by some called the com- 
mon or middle e, as in the English word met. Aits, 
in satisfaits, sounds long, like the e in prSs, near. 

361. 

L in fls is always mute. The * is silent before a 

consonant, but sounded in the middle, or at the end 

of a sentence. Before a vowel or h mute, * takes the 

sound of z : as, JUs adoptif; pronounce, Ji-zadoptif. 



Insister a, signifies: to persist in; as, il insiste a 
demander de V argent, he persists in asking for money. 
Insister sur, means : to insist on ; as, ilinsiste sur cette 
pretention, he insists on that claim. Insister d, is 
always followed by a verb ; and insister sur, by a 
substantive. 

363. 

When cerf stands alone, or is at the end of a sen- 
tence, thesis sounded. In cerf-volant, a paper kite; 
cerf(de) dix cors, a stag seven years old ; and in most 
other expressions belonging to venery, the J" is drop- 
ped. Sound the/ in serf, in every situation. 

364. 

Les honnetes gens, signifies ; persons of rank or 
quality, cspectable people; and les gens honnetes, 
polite people. 



KEY. 171 

365. 

T in galant is sounded only when this word pre- 
cedes a noun beginning with a vowel or h mute : as, 
un galant komme; pronounce, tin galan-tkomme. Un 
homme galant et de bonne societe ; pronounce, galan. 
The final t in: a I'instant, must be united to the next 
word beginning with a vowel or h mute. 



En un instant, is employed with reference to the 
time present, or past: as, il lefait en un instant; il Va 
fait en un instant. Dans un instant, is applied to futu- 
rity : as, je leferai dans un instant. 

36*7. 

Col, a neck, is pronounced cou, and is now so 
written— except in the following expressions, where 
the I keeps its proper sound : il a le col court, he has 
a short neck ; le col d'une chemise, the neck or collar 
of a shirt ; le col ouvert, an open collar • un col. a 
stock; le eel, the defile ; h col de Tende, the straights 
of Tend ; It col de la vessie, et de la matriee, the neck 
of the bladder, and of the womb. 

Fol, a fool, is pronounced^/bw, and is more properly 
so spelled. The adjectives fou and mou, become fol 
and mol, before a noun beginning with a vowel or h 
mute; as, un fol amusement, a foolish amusement; le 
mol idredon, the soft edder-down. The word mol, in 
un b mol, a 6 flat, always preserves its /, both in writing 
and pronunciation. 

368. 

Acte, concombre, echange, empldtre, equateur, pleurs, 
saule, tquinoxe, orchestre, ivoire, intervalle, girqfle, 
mensonge, espace, and ete, are all of the masculine 
gender. 

369. 

The first e in de.sir and desert is close ; and not 
guttural, as often erroneously pronounced. 

v 370. 
Un marchand a affaire a toutes sorles de gens, signi- 
fies : a merchant has to do (or deal) with all sorts of 
I? 2 



172 KEY. 

people ; and un marchand a affaire de toutes sortes de 
gens, a merchant has occasion for people of every 
description. 

371; 
The / in the word baril has a liquid sound at the 
end of a sentence : as, on Jit apporter le baril ; but in 
every other situation it is mute : as, un baril de vin ; 
un baril d 'anchois ; pronounce bari, Qu in quidam, is 
pronounced as a k. The q in coq d'Inde is silent, 
though sounded in coq when alone. 

372. 
We write aieuls, to signify : the two grandfathers, 
one on the father's, the other on the mother's side ; as, 
ses deux aYeuls ont retnpli les premieres charges, his two 
grandfathers have held the highest posts. A'ieux, 
means : forefathers, or ancestors : as, il suit les traces de 
ses a'ieux, he walks in the footsteps of his ancestors. 

373. 
Sound the s in lis. In Jkur-de-lis, the s is silent. 
Club is pronounced clob. 

374. 

II Jit amitie a tous ces messieurs, signifies : he made 
much of all those gentlemen ; and iljit amitie avec tous 
ces messieurs, he contracted a friendship with all those 
gentlemen. 

375. 

Sound both the c and the t of the termination act, 
as in : contact, exact, tact, fyc. ; and unite the / to the 
next word beginning with a vowel or h mute. When 
the plurals exacts and inexacts precede a vowel or h 
mute, the t is dropped, and the s united : as, exacts 
au rendez-vous ; pronounce, exak-zau rendez-vmis. 

376. 
S'empresser is followed by de, when the action 
affirmed of it is confined to the agent that produced 
it: as, je m'empresse de marcher. But when the 
action extends to some other object besides the person 
acting, it is followed by ci : as, je m'empresse a le 
secourir, I am anxious to asssist him. 



KEY. 173 

377. 
The d in laid is silent before a consonant, and 
sounds as a t before a vowel or h mute. The t in lait 
is never pronounced : as, du lait exquis / pronounce, 
du lai exquis. 

378. 

We use the preposition a after the verb etre, and be- 
fore the next infinitive, when the latter denotes an 
action to be performed by the subject : as, c'est d vous 
kjouer. When no action is implied, but merely a 
state of rest, de must be used : as, c'est d nous d'obeir, 
de nous taire, fyc, 

379. 

C in Franc, a Frank ; and in franc, free ; must be 
united as a 'k to the next word beginning with a 
vowel or h mute. In franc, a coin, the c is in every 
situation silent. Drop the c in franc, before a conso- 
nant, in every signification of the word. 

S in chaos, clqs, repos, and dos, is mute before a 
consonant, and takes the sound of z before a vowel • 
as, dos d dos ; pronounce, do-zd-da, fyc. The e in 
repos is guttural ; and the h in chaos not sounded. 



Eire en humeur, always implies an accidental or 
temporary disposition : as, il est en humeur defaire tout 
ce que Von a veut, he is disposed to do any thing you 
please. Etre d'humeur, usually denotes the general 
temper, or habitual disposition of the mind: as, 
il est d'humeur d tout souffrir, he is of a temper to bear 
every thing, 

381. 
Facile, followed by an infinitive, requires the pre- 
position d after it ; as, cela est facile a faire, that is 
easily done : unless it is construed with etre imperson- 
ally, in which case it is followed by de : as, il est 
facile de se tromper, it is an easy matter to be mistaken. 



Sound the c in pare. In marc, a weight ; and marc, 
husks or grounds; the c is mute. 
p3 



174 KEY. 

383. 
Cet komme n 'entend pas raillerie, signifies i this man 
is not to be joked with • and cet homme n 'entend pas la 
raillerie, this man has not the knack of jeering. 

384. 

The c in pore is mute : as, du porcfrais ; pronounce, 
du porfrais. In pore-epic, the c is united to the next 
vowel : Louis XII avoit pour devise un porc-Spic, avec 
ces mots latins, Cominus et Eminus — pronounce por- 
kepi. II ichoit is pronounced il echoa, and sometimes 
il echet. 

385. 

Je viens vous dire que j'ai vu votre sceur, signifies : 
I am come to tell you that I have seen your sister ; 
and je viens de vous dire quej'ai vu votre sceur, I have 
just told you that I have seen your sister. 



Pronounce tt as a single t, in : abattre, attirer, 
disette, and all other words: except atticisme, atti- 
cism ; attique, attic ; battologie, tautology ; guttural, 
guttural ; pittoresque, picturesque. 

387. 
Un jour faux, is : a false light ; and un faux jour, 
a wrong light. The first implies that the painter has 
thrown the shade on the wrong side of the picture j 
the latter, that the picture is placed in such a situa- 
tion, that the light falls on that part of it which the 
painter has shaded. 

388. 
It is, followed by an infinitive with a preposition 
before it, is rendered by il est, and not by c y est : as, 
il n'est pas d conseiller de commencer ce voyage avant lb 
mi-Juin, it is not advisable to commence that journey 
till the middle of June. Before the personal pronouns, 
use ce, and not il : as, e'est a vous que je parle, it is 
to you I speak ; c 'est moi qui vous te dis, it is I who 
tell you so : ce sont (or e'est) eux qui m'appellent, it is 
they who call me ; etf-ce toi qui I' as cru t didst thou 
believe it ? 



KEY. 175 



Supplier, signifies : to supply or make up what is 
wanting : as, ce sac doit etre de mille piastres fortes, 
et ce qu 'il y aura de moins je le suppleerai, this bag 
ought to contain a thousand hard dollars, and what 
is found deficient I will make up. Supplier a, means : 
to make amends for, make up for, or supply the 
place of a thing : as, la valeur supplee au nombre, 
valour supplies the deficiency in number. Son merite 
supplee au defaut de sa naissance, his merit makes up 
for his birth. 

390. 
Une dame s y est presentee a la porte ; je I 'ai laisse 

passer. 
Les livres que vous avez ramasses, sont ceux que 

mon frere avoit laisse tomber. 

The participles presentee and ramasses are here 
declined, because they come after the direct object, 
agreeably to what was explained in Solution 345. 

Laisse remains unvaried, being followed in both 
examples by an infinitive with which it forms, as it 
were, but one word, or conveys but one idea ; for we 
cannot separate the participle and infinitive without 
destroying the sense. We do not say, for example, 
j 'ai laisse cette dame passer, nor j 'ai laisse* des livres 
tomber, separating laisse from passer and tomber ; but 
to speak correctly we ought to say : j 'ai laisse passer 
cette dame; j'ai laisse tomber des livres. The pro- 
noun la, and the noun livres, therefore, in the fore- 
going instances, not being the objects of the participle 
laisse alone, but of an idea expressed by two words ; 
namely, laisse passer, and laisse tomber, the past par- 
ticiple remains undeclined. 



KEY 

TO THE EXAMPLES OF BAD FRENCH. 

FIRST CLASS. 

1. II y a huit ansqueje vais a I'ecole. 

2. Vous devenez bien rare, 

3. II trouve a redire a tout, 

4. J'ai grand' soif. 

5. Nous aurons vacances dans huit jours. 
6; II a toujours la roupie au nez. 

7. Je vousprie deme donner une de mes chemises neuves. 

8. Vous trouverez votre chapeau sous la table. 

9. En voukz-vous tire ? or, voulez-vous Ztre de la 

partie ? 

10. II est midl molns un quart. 

11. Jem' en accommoderai. 

12. C'est a vous djouer. 

13. Je perds la patience. Ma patience est poussee 4 

bout. 

1 4. Je vous prie de me donner de vos nouvelles de temps 

en temps. 

15. Vous avez unflux de bouche inexprimable. 

16. Vous avez bon visage, or bonne mine, or bon air. 

17. II y a deux ans queje ne lui parte plus. 

18. Les plus courtesfolies sont les meilleures, 

1 9. Vous predisez toutes les eclipses. 

20. Ne me coupez pas le nez. 

21. II y a un mur autour du cimetiere. 

22. ha plupqrt des dames furent malheureuses, 

23. On a ripondu d cette lettre. 

24. II est trois heures et demie. 

25. Je n'ai point d' autre ressource. 

26. Demandez du pain. 

27. Vous avez plus d' esprit que moi. 

28. J'ai lu cela dans la gazette. 



178 KEY. 

29. 77 a dix-sept ans, quoiqu'il ne paroisse pas si age; 

mais il est petit pour son dge. 

30. Y a-t-il long temps que vous apprenez lefrancois? 

31. Tout le monde in a cherchi. 

32. line m' a pas dit qu'il eut besoin d' 'argent. 

33. 77 n'y a personne dans Ve'glise. 

34. Quelqu'un demande (or, voild quelqu'un qui demande) 

Monsieur [un tel). 

35. Le nez roe saigne ; or, je saigne du nez. 

36. Demandez un morceau de pain. 

37. Le lievre courut a tr avers les bois. 

38. On a delibe're sur cet objet. 

39. Vous ne savez pas ce que vous dites. 

40. Tout le monde vous dira. 

4 1 . Je ne saurois lui pardonner lafaute lourde qu 'il afaite. 

42. J'ai pardonne a mes ennemis. 

43. Madame (tine telle) a besoin de vous, for vous 

demande J : il Jaut que vous alliez voir ce qu'elle 
vous veut. Elle vous a d&ja appele troisfois. 

44. J'ai dit & Monsieur voire peri de negocier ce billet 

sur la place. 



SECOND CLASS. 

45. II n'y a pire elat que celui d'un homme dont la 

conscience n 'est pas pure. 

46. II est plus riche qu'il n'e'toit. 

47. Je ne crois pas que j 'aie tort, lorsque je dis qu'elle 

avoit grand ' peur de vous. 

48. Si le public a eu quelque indulgence pour moi, je le 

dois a voire protection. 

49. L 'indulgence que le public a eue pour moi, je la 

dois d voire protection. 

50. Le soleil a resous le brouillard en pluie. 

51. La jeunesse est susceptible de toules sortes d' im- 

pressions. 

52. Un homme qui ne croil point en Dieu, est capable 

de tons les crimes. 

53. II lui passa son tpee au travers du corps. 
5+. Vous a-t-il dit qu 'il ait faim ? 



KEY. 179 

55. Plus d'un temoin a dipose. 

56. Monlrez-moi la lecon que vous out donnee vos mail res. 

57. Je vous fais grace, quoique vous ne le meritiez pas. 

58. C'est dans cette maison queje demeure. 

59. Quelle quantity de pierres il a entassees ! 

60. Savez-vous pincer (toucher) la harpe f Savez-vous 

jouer de la harpe f Savez-vous jouer de la gui- 
tare (pincer la guitare) ? 

61. Les chaleurs qu'il a fait. 

62. Faites-nous gouter ce que vous avez de meilleur en 

vins de Portugal, de Canarie, et de Madere. 

63. Vous Jerez bien de suivre son exemple. 
64-. Le vertueux et Eloquent Finelon. 

65. Je n'espere pas que vous le fassiez. 

66. II est facile de se procurer ces livres. 

67. J'espere que vous fe'ferez. 

68. C'est la chose quej'aime le plus. 

69. On me rendra justice, et cela ne peut pas larder. 

70. C'est d vous queje parle. 

71. Puisque vous m'interdisez votre maison. 

72. Je n'aurois jamais pense que cela fut a vous 

73. II est aussi indigne de vivre que sonfrere. 
7 4. Je vous epargnerai la peine de lefaire. 

75. Ilfaut que vous veniez. 

76. Je m'etonne que vous n'ayez pas prevu eel accident. 

77. Nous avons proscrit aujourd'hui les Jemmes que 

nous avons proscrites I'annee passee. 
7 8. Cet homme a Vhumeur pliante. 

79. C'est dans le tete-d-tete qu'elle est le plus aimable. 

80. Monfrere a vingt el un chevaux. 

81. Ma sceur louche le clavecin, et moi I'orgue, (or, joue 

du clavecin, et moi de I'orgue J. 

82. Je ne me le rappelle pas. 

83. Cette Jemme est pres d'accoucker. 

84-i On y monle par une douce rampe. On y motile iri- 
sensiblement. 

85. Je crois, ovje pense que vous ne I' avez pas dit. 

86. Ilfaut queje vous fasse observer premierement. 

87. Dun et I' autre cheval. 

S8. Maitre de \sLnguefranqoise, espagnole, et ilalienne. 



180 KEY, 

Vers 
attaches au Collier d'un petit Chien. 
89. Fidele a ma maitresse, attache a ses pas, 

Sensible aux soins qu'elle me donne, 
Pret a mordre tous ceux qui ne l'aimeroient pas, 
Je n 'ai pu mordre encor personne. 



THIRD CLASS. 

90. Cesar a plus gagne de batailles que les autres n*en 

out lu. 

91. La tragedie quej'ai vujouer. 

92. J'ai prouve que Jesus~Christ viendra juger les 

hommes. , 

93. Le premier et le second etage. 

94. On croit n'etre pas trompe, cependant on Vest a 

tout moment, 

95. Je lui ai rendu tous les services quej'ai pu, que 

j'ai voulu, quej'ai du. 

96. Sont-ce Id vos intentions ? — Oui, ce les sont. 

97. La poesie est une des sciences quej'ai le plus cul- 

tivees. 

98. On battit le tambour pour assembler la troupe. 

99. Ne leur a-t-il pas assure que cela est ? 

1 00. Vous ne convenez pas qu y il y ait du sublime dans 

ces paroles. 
10 J. II a appris a battre du tambour. 

102. C'est un homme dont la vertu impose. 

103. J'espere le voir aujourd'hui. 

104. Ai-je dit que vous I'ayez trompe ? 

105. Puis-je esperer de I'obtenir f 

1 06. // est impossible de s 'imaginer la douleur que celtc 

mort lui cause. 

107. lis se sont plu a me tourmenter. 

1 08. Ramassez les livres que vous avez laisse lombcr. 

109. Les maris s'y rendirent chacun avec safemme; or, 

chaque mart s'y rcndit avec safemme. 

110. Auguste gouverna Rome avec un temperament, une 

douceur soutenue, a laquelle il dut fe pardon 
dc ses anciennes cruaules. 



KEY. 181 

111. L'aclrice que j'ai vuejouer. 

1 12. De quelle religion qu'il soil. 

113. 77 me sembloit qu'il »i'aimoit. 

1 14. Sans peine, et sans plaisir. 

115. On vit sortir un tel nombre defense d' artifice, qu'il 

sembloit que toutes les Hoiks tombassent. 

1 1 6. Gravir contre un rocker. 

1 17. A quelque gloire qu'il soil parvenu. 

1 1 8. Ni I'or, ni la grandeur, ne nous rendent heureux. 

119. Je vous en demande pardon. Je vous enfais excuse. 

120. Je ne vous ai pas ecrit queje fusse retabli, 

121. On a retranche la portion k ce malade. 

122. Je ne vois pas comment on peut s'en defendre. 

123. Cet enfant a recu de mauvais principes. 

124. Je prefere mourir plutot que de dire un mensonge. 

1 25. C'est dans son neglige qu'elle avoit le plus de beaute. 
126*. Je prefere de mourir avec vous, plutot que de VOUS 

trahir. 

127. II honor a les lettres de cette protection, de cet at' 

tachement reel, qui, dans un prince, est si capable 
de les f aire feurir. 

128. J'ai dit qu'un homme genereux doit pardonner. 

129. L'un de nous deux ira a Paris. 

1 30. Le bon esprit, et la bonne sanle devroient exciter 

V ambition de tous les hommes ; mats ni l'un ni 
I'autre ne nous occupent. 

131. tlfaut retrancher plusieurs branches de cet arbre. 

132. En epousant les interets d'autrui, nous ne devons 

pas en epouser les passions. 

133. Je ne connois rien de plus agreable, de plus char" 

mant, que lafraicheur du soir, apres la chaleur 
dujour. 

134. On remarque souvent les defauts d'autrui, sans 

faire attention d, leurs bonnes qualites. 

1 35. Vous etes le seul qui ayez bien developpe la theorie 

des participes. 

136. II m'a dit qu'il ne faut jamais vendre la peau de 

I 'ours, qu'on ne /'ait mis par terre. 

137. // aima toujours cette personne quoiqu'elle fut dans 

I'adversite. 



182 KEY. 

138. II s'est aussi i?idignement acquitte ds se* devoirs 

que son ami. 

139. Socrate etoit aussi vaillant que sage, 

1 40. Peut-etre vous l'enverrai-je demain. 

1 41 . Vous ne parlez pas en hommes qui entendent la 

langue. 

1 42. L' infinite des perfections de Dieu m'accable. 

143. II est difficile a contenter. 

1 44. La ville pres de laquelleje suis. 

1 45. II est difficile de bien ecrire. 

146. Quelle religion qu'il ait embrassee. 

147. J'ai un jar din plus beau que le votre. 

148. La trame de nos jours est plus qu'd demifaite. 

149. Aussitotque vous aurez recouvre la saute, venex 

me voir. 



150. La Bretonne admirable a pris gout a mes vert, 
Douze fois Pan, sa plume ea instruit l'univers ; 
Elle a douze fois l'an reponse de la notre, 
Et nous nous encensons tous les mois Vun Vautre. 



END OF THE KEY, 



OF THE UNION OF WORDS. 



The proper union of final consonants with succeed- 
ing vowels, being what constitutes the euphony of 
French pronunciation, besides being often necessary 
for conveying the true meaning of a phrase, it may 
be proper here to recapitulate what has been explained 
in the preceding pages, by adding a few general rules 
on this important part of the French orthoepy. 

The final consonant is united to the following vowel: 

1. When the first word modifies or affects the 
second: as, 

Les icoliers de eon oncle. * His uncle's scholars. 

II a arrete" un excellent ouv- He has engaged an ex- 

rier. cellent workman. 

Le frequent emploi des The frequent union of 

liaisons dans la langue words in the French 

frangoise, en rend la language, tends to 

prononciation plus douce. soften the pronuncia- 
tion. 

In the first of these examples the article les, and 
the possessive pronoun son, modify the words e"coliers 
and oncle ; the s and n are therefore united. In the 
two last examples the adjectives excellent and frequent, 
affect or qualify the nouns ouvrier and emploi, conse- 
quently the t of the former words is joined to the 
vowel of the latter. 

* w denotes union, and | separation, 
Q 2 



184 



UNION OF WORDS. 



2. When words mutually qualify each other, or 
when there exists a grammatical connexion between 
them: as, 



Le logis excellent qu'il a 

trouvi. 
J'y ai remarque un ponU 

levis abaisse". 



The excellent lodgings 
he has met with. 

I observed there a draw- 
bridge let down. 



The * of the noun logis is here united to the ad- 
jective excellent, and that of pont-levis, to the verbal 
adjective abaisse, on account of the grammatical con- 
nexion that exists between these nouns and their 
adjectives coming after them. 

When the noun precedes the adjective, as in these two ex- 
amples, some orthoepists allege that no union ought to take 
place between the two words, inasmuch as the noun does not 
affect its. adjective as essentially a» it ie affected by it. 

To this rule belong many other cases of grammati- 
cal relation or connexion ; such as, between govern- 
ing words and their regimens ; between verbs and 
their pronouns ; between adverbs and the words they 
modify ; between prepositions and the words of which 
they fix the relation or opposition ; between conjunc- 
tions and the words they connect, &c. 

Examples. 
Ilsforment un projet. They form a plan. 

Nous evitons les mauvaises 

compagnies. 
11 est excessivement empor- 

U. 
II s'est coupi avec un 

couteau. 
Or il le comprend, mats il 

ne lui repond point. 
Tu pourvois aux besoins 

des panvres. 



We shun bad company. 

He is exceedingly pas- 
sionate. 

He has cut himself with 
a knife. 

Now he understands him, 
but gives him no answer. 

Thou providest for the 
wants of the poor, 



UNION OF WORDS. 185 

Cases in which no Union or Collision of Words 
takes place. 

1. When "words are taken abstractedly; no gram- 
matical connection existing between them : as, 

Les | et des \ annoncent le The words les and des 

pluriel ; rnon \ et ton | denote the plural num- 

expriment la possession. ber ; mon and ton an- 
nounce possession. 

Vous aimez la danse, et You love dancing, and 

nous j aussi, nous I'ai- we love it too. 
motis. 

Hommes, \ animaux, tout Men, animals, all perished. 
petit. 

In the first example, les, des, mon, and ton, are not 
united to the following vowel, because there is no 
grammatical relation betwixt them. The s of nous, 
in the second example, is silent before aussi, for the 
same reason ; nous not affecting this word, but a far- 
ther word, aimons, of which it is the conjunctive 
pronoun. In the last example, hommes is not united 
to animaux, because that noun is taken abstractedly. 

2. In most cases where the reading of any passage 
demands a pause, independent of that established by 
the punctuation ; as, 

Vous etiez aux abois \ ainsi You were reduced to the 
que vos amis. last shift, as well as 

your friends. 

Ainsi que les saisons, | on Like unto the seasons are 
voit changer les hommes. the changes in men. 

3. When the uniting of a final consonant might 
occasion ambiguity, and convey to an auditor a 
wrong sense; as, 

77 n'est ni gaillard, ni At his age he is neither 
dispos j a son age. jovial nor active. 

The separation here distinguishes dispos from the 
verb dispose. 



186 UNION OF WORDS. 

4. The final n of the nasal syllables an, en, in, on, 
un, is never to be joined to the next vowel — except in 
the words : un, on, bien (adverb), rien ; and some few 
others mentioned in the course of this work.* 



EXERCISES ON THE UNION OF WORDS. 

Les Rats. 
Joseph Pardow, aide du chirurgien-major du vais- 
seau le Lancastre, raconta une anecdote singuliere, 
qui, si elle est vraie, offre une observation curieuse 
sur l'instinct des animaux. II etoit un matin dans 
son lit | occupe a lire ; un bruit semblable a celui que 
font les rats en montant entre une double cloison, | 
et s'efForcant de la percer, attira son attention. II 
vit un trou se former lentement, | et | un rat qui se 
presenta sur le bord, regarda sans bruit dans la 
chambre, et se retira apres avoir decouvert ce qu'il 
desiroit. Un instant apres | il revint, accompagne 



* The t of the conjunction et (and), is in all cases silent. 
The pronoun en, is united in the following and other similar 
examples : 

// en a forme le dessein. He intends doing that. 

Ce quails en ont d'U, What they have said about it. 

En avez vous assez. Have you enough. 

lis en approuverent leplan. They approved that plan. 

II en est de cela comme de tout It is with that, as with every 

le reste. tiling else. 

But when en follows the verb, separating it from its regimen, 
the n is not united : as, 

Croyez en j un ami sincdre. Believe the words of a sincere 

friend. 
Parlez-en | an prince. Speak to the prince about it. 

■Worn nous en \ ii Porn. Let us march off to Parii. 



UNION OF WORDS. 187 

d'un autre rat qui en tenoit un autre par l'oreille. 
Ce dernier paroissoit vieux. Des qu'ils furent tous 
trois arrives vers le trou, les deux jeunes l'y laisserent, | 
et descendirent dans la charabre, ou ils ramasserent les 
miettes de biscuit qui etoient tombees de la table 
, pendant le souper de la veille ; ils porterent ces 
miettes au rat qu'ils avoient laisse pres du trou. Cette 
attention | etonna M. Pardow, et | il observa avec soin. 
II remarqua que ranimal r a qui les deux autres por- 
toient des provisions, | etoit aveugle, et ne trouvoit 
qu'en tatonnant les provisions qu'on lui presentoit. 
Pendant que le chirurgien consideroit, le chirurgien-- 
major | entra dans lachambre; les jeunes rats effrayes, 
pousserent un cri pour avertir le vieux rat, et ne se 
retirerent, cependant, qu'apres qu'ils le virent en surete. 
M. Pardow conjecture que ce vieux rat | etoit le pere 
des deux autres, qui pourvoyient a sa subsistance. 

Le bon Avis. 
II y a quelques annees qu'un des fils de Jonathan, 
celebre Juif a Londres, fut sur le point de se ma- 
rier a une jeune chretienne. Son pere ne faisoit au- 
cune objection sur la religion de la fille qu'on vouloit 
lui donner ; mais il se recrioit beaucoup sur son peu de 
fortune. II refusa en consequence son consentement, 
Le fils qui etoit fort amoureux, menaca le pere de se 
passer de son aveu. Celui-ci le mena9a de ne pas lui 
donner un chelin. Le jeune homme repondit qu'il 
l'y forceroit, | et que s'il refusoit de lui faire part de 
son bien, | il se fero't baptiser pour jouir de la loi 
angloise, qui donne a un enfant juif qui se fait chre- 



188 UNION OF WORDS. 

tien, la moitie des £iens de son pere. Jonathan de- 
meura confondu a cette reponse ; il alia troaver im 
jurisconsulte pour prendre son avis, | et savoir s'il ex- 
istoit reellement une loi pareille. L'avocat le lui 
confirma ; mais, | ajouta-t-il, si vous voulez me faire 
present de dix guinees, je vous donnerai un moyen de 
troraper l'esperance de votre fils, | et l'ingrat n'aura 
pas le droit d'obtenir la moindre chose. Jonathan se 
console a ces mots, compte les dix guinees, et supplie 
l'avocat de ne pas le faire languir. Vous n'avez, 
reprit le conseiller, qu'a vous faire chretien f aussi, et 
la loi ne donnera rien a. votre fils. 

Decision sur le Pas enlre deux Dames. 

Deux dames de la premiere qualite, etant en dif- 
ferend pour le pas dans une eglise, l'empereur Gharles- 
quint voulut etre l'arbitre de leur contestation. 
Apres avoir entendu les raisons de part | et d'autre, 
il ne crut pas trouver un meilleur moyen de terminer 
ce differend, qu'en ordonnant que la plus folle des 
deux passat devant. 

Apres cet arret, ni l'une ni 1 'autre n'eut plus d'en- 
vie de passer la premiere. 

De I'habilletnent. 

■ A mon avis, tout homme Men sage 
Doit faire des haMts, ainsi que du langage, 
N'y rien trop affecter, | et sans empressement r 
Suivre ce que l'usage y fait de changement ; 
Car il vaut mieux souffrir d'etre au nombre de» fou«, 
Que du sage parti se voir »eul contre tons. 



UNION OF WORDS. 189 

Sur la Colere. 
Un certain Grec disoit a. l'empereur Auguste, 
Comme une instruction | utile, autant que juste, 
Que lorsqu'une aventure en colere nous met, 
Nous devons, | avant tout, dire notre alphabet, 
Afin que dans ce temps la bile se tempere, 
Et qu'on ne fasse rien que 1 'on ne doive faire. 

FABLE. 

Un enfant s 'admiroit, monte sur une table : 
Je suis grand, disoit-il ; quelqu'un lui rep'ondit : 

Descendez, vous serez petit. 

Quel est 1 'enfant de cette fable ; 

I>e riehe qui 3 'enorgueillit. 



FINIS. 






ERRATA. 



Page 4, N°. 17, for reveil, read reveil. 

10, — 42, for poetes, read po'ctes. 

20, — 84, for conquerer, read conqueror. 

22, — 91, for venal, read venal. 

25, — 109, for Xerxes, read JCer^t*. 

. 26, — 114, for et cmtera and et coetera, read et ceetera 

and et caetera. 
____ 35, — 160, for apricot and brulot, read ahricot and brulot. 

41, — 196, for paleur, read paleur. 

— _. 60, — 310, for credo, read credo. 

65, — 345, for ecrits, read ecrits. 

, 91, — 32, for 6a, read oa. A 

93, — 41, for pont aux Anes, read pont-aux-Anes. 

108, — 96, for 6a, read o& (in both places). 

139, — 229, for 6a and oaz, read oa and oa%. 

^ m ^ 150, — 265, for asssists, read assists. 



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